Owned
by Tsubasa504
Summary: What happens when Yassen decides to show up on Alexs door step and where is he taking him? I rated it T because it might get darker deeper into the story.
1. Dark Nights

**Okay I am not gone make this long. Just wanted to say I have rewritten some parts in my story, so for those who have read it before, might want to go back and reread. **

**Disclaimer: As we all know, I do not own Alex, Yassen; **_**sight-**_** Well we all cannot get what we want.**

**Other than that~ Read and Enjoy**

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**Dark Nights:**

I was a little confused I'll admit, but for real it's not every day a contract killer will come up and ring your door bell. Especially not one that is supposed to be dead; and it pisses me off that I was driven away from my home by said killer. It had started somewhere at night, Jack and I had been sitting in the living room watching one of the few movies that we had time for , when the door bell rang.

Alex just threw his popcorn at Jack, laughing at her expression as she surveyed the area. Popcorn was on the sofa, on the floor; hell, it was even in her hair and clothes. But she wasn't going to say anything about it because she was just happy that Alex was home again. His last mission had lasted 2 months, and by the time that the third day had passed in his absence she had been dead worried. But what scared her most was that this time when he came back his eyes were just a little more hooded, his shoulders a little more stiff, and his reflexes just a little more fast and accurate. The only way she could describe him was…dangerous. She hated to admit it, but she was afraid of Alex. She no longer knew what he could do.

He wasn't a young 14 year old going wild; he wasn't taking drugs or running with the wrong crowd. No, if it had been that Jack was sure she could have managed it. But Alex, this Alex in front of her, no matter how much he smiled it no longer reached his eyes. No, her Alex had been lost the day that Ian Rider had died; it had just taken her until now to realize it. It was first realized almost a year later how small of a grip she had on him, but she also knew that Alex wanted to be normal, and it was that one small wish that she knew she could grant him, that kept her going.

Jack tried to ask as few questions as possible about his missions, and she had completely given up on trying to get him out of working for MI6. That was a lost cause; Alex was too addicted to the danger and missions, but Jack did not know that. She still believed it was because of the blackmail that Alex worked for MI6; she didn't know that it was because Alex only saw black and white when he wasn't on one of his missions. He no longer wanted a normal life. He lived for the thrill of feeling adrenaline pumping threw his veins and the feeling of being so alive; he feed of it like a starved person.

But even so, Jack tried. She cooked for him, scolded him like a mother when he came back late because he had been out with friends, but most of all she loved him. She didn't hesitate to take Alex into her arms and hug him; all she wanted was for Alex to understand that she was there for him, and that she was never going to let him go.

At least that was what she promised herself, a promise that she had never thought she would break. Not until she met _him_.

The door bell rang, and Jack and Alex stared at each other, weighing their options on whether to open the door or not. Finally, Jack stood up. She realized that Alex wouldn't get the door no matter what; he had a feeling that it was MI6, and he wasn't ready to go back on a mission. Not yet anyway. If only for a few more hours he would like to be with Jack.

Alex heard Jack open the door, but he heard no greeting, or anything other than silence. His heart tightened, and fear rushed through him. Standing up he moved quickly towards the door. "Jack, who is it?"

Receiving no answer, Alex rounded the corner quickly to see what had happened. Seeing the picture that awaited him he stopped in his tracks. A slim man in his late twenties stood there, cold blue eyes surveying the house. Jack was staring at the man, shock written on her face. She didn't know this man, but a sudden fear filled her the moment she caught sight of him; fear that he would take something precious from her.

"Who are you?" she finally said, her voice cracking. She threw a quick glance at where Alex had stopped. His eyes were big, but no fear showed in them. The handsome man in front of her didn't look back at her again after he had caught sight of Alex. Both of them seemed to be stuck in some kind of world that Jack could never be able to reach.

"Alex." He didn't answer her call, so she repeated it. "Alex!"

He snapped out of it, and his eyes traveled to her. "Do you know him?" Jack continued. She could see Alex hesitating, deliberating whether to tell her or not, and somehow that made the anger flare up in her. Did he really trust her so little?

Finally Alex nodded, too stunned by the sudden appearance of the Russian assassin to say anything.

"Well, would you mind introducing me?" Jack snapped.

This time the man looked up at her, and a small smile; not a very nice one, but a smile never the less graced his handsome features.

"I'm sorry; it is bad manners on my part that we have not been introduced. My name is Yassen Gregorovich; I believe that you have heard of me before." Jack paled significantly at the mention of the man's name, her breath catching, and she forced herself to take big breaths calming herself before she took a couple of steps back. The man, now that she looked closer, seemed almost to radiate with some sort of cold air of death. But what the worst part was, was that for some reason it reminded her of Alex just a little.

He, this handsome man, was Yassen the assassin she had heard so much about. Her fear changed to confusion; what was he doing ringing their doorbell? Jumping, Jack looked around as Alex's hand fell on her shoulder, pushing her lightly away. It was an indication that Alex wanted her to leave the room. Weighing her options, Jack considered the pros and cons of each situation. She really didn't want to trust Alex in the room alone with an assassin, but she also knew that her standing there wasn't going to help the outcome. Leaving the room, she leaned against the wall to listen in.

"Yassen."

"Alex."

Jack rolled her eyes; what a boring greeting. She would have laughed if the atmosphere wasn't so dark.

"I see your doing better than since we last saw."

"What's with the sudden visit, no call to tell that you were coming first? Maybe you just wanted to spend Friday night with me; well that's too bad. I'm busy; go away. I don't like mixing work with my life at home." There was all of a sudden a loud bang as if someone hit a wall, and then a harsh hiss of something that sounded like a threat. But Jack didn't hear it; she was considering whether to pick up a kitchen knife and charge the man. Deciding against it, she went back to focus on the conversation.

"…Them, well I believe MI6 can handle that. For real it's their own problem that they were destroy…"

Another bang was heard; this one followed by a grunt and a low moan. She had to close her eyes and grit her teeth to stop herself from doing anything; her rash actions could get them killed. _Leave it to Alex,_ she kept telling herself. But the realization of how helpless she was, made her shake in slight fear and embarrassment. How could she possibly believe she could do something to help Alex when she could not even make herself make a move to help him when she had the chance to do so.

"This is no time to be pushing your luck, Alex."

"Yea well, what bloody time is it then?" A sigh escaped one of them, whether it was Alex or Yassen she didn't know.

"Look, unless you want to die like the rest of your family did come with me, Alex. I at least have enough power to keep you safe. We both know that MI6 won't go out of their way to keep you alive. You might be important, but you are not important enough for them to spill government secrets to get you back."

The conversation went on, but Jack had stopped listening. Going back to the living room, she picked up the popcorn waiting for them to finish up.

It didn't take them long; after about 10 minutes Alex entered the living room. He leaned his body against the door frame as they stared at each other, both waiting for the other one to talk first.

"Jack," Alex started. He rubbed his face tiredly before continuing, his eyes roaming the room with an almost greedy expression. "I know I said I wasn't going to leave you. At least not now. Well things have come up and I… I need to leave."

"With Yassen?" Jack asked. He nodded, dropping his eyes to the floor.

"Yes, with Yassen."

"I won't allow it!" Alex's head snapped up to stare at Jack, who balled her fist tightly, glaring daggers.

"Alex, go pack, let me talk to Miss. Starbright." Yassen said. She could see the hesitant look in Alex's face, but after giving him a nod of assurance he left, trudging up the stairs.

"Jack Starbright." She glared at the assassin though she felt a tug of fear go through her. _His eyes_, it was all she could think of. They were empty eyes, but at the same time there was anger in them. They spoke all that really needed to be said, the man would take Alex whether she fought him or not.

"Why?" she whispered.

"It is for his own good. He has made enemies with strong people-"

"I know that! That's not what I want to know. I want to know why _you_ are_ here_!" she shrieked angrily, her hands flying as she tried gesturing her anger out. She met Yassen's eyes challengingly, but when she only got a low level stare back she dropped her eyes and sank into the couch; submissive and afraid.

"I'm here because I do not want Alex to die a senseless death. It would be a waste to the world to allow someone as talented as Alex to be killed, just because of other people's pride and their wish for revenge. That is why I am taking him. If I were you I would forget about Alex; he is not going to come back." Jack could only gape; horrified as what was going on sank in; this man was taking him. This man was taking her Alex... but as much as she felt hatred for him, she couldn't do anything. Or wouldn't._ It will be better this way_, she thought, _I don't have the power to protect him. Never did and I never will._

She didn't hear him when he came in. One moment he was a floor away, the next he was sitting on the couch's arm, resting his hand on her shoulder. She stared at the small smile that was on his lips. She tried to do the same but failed.

Alex stood up, walking out of the room; not a word of good bye, not so much as _I'll miss you... _Her arms flared; she wanted to hug him, to say good bye, touch him again, and tell him it was going to be okay. Shooting up from her seat, Jack ran for the door.

"Wait, Alex!" Jack called, but it was too late. The door closed behind them and all she saw was the back, the back of a boy, a stranger, someone she knew not. Her body shook and tears spilled out of her eyes. The world was crashing. "Be safe." She whimpered, her words lost in the wind and only for her to hear. She didn't stand there long, only long enough to see the car disappear around the corner, before going up stairs to pack. Jack had decided it was time to finally go back to America and this time for good.

* * *

"What are you thinking of?"

Alex turned from the window in the Ferrari and looked at Yassen. The man's shoulders were tense; almost like he was expecting an attack or something along those lines. The thought made Alex chuckle; he was surprised at his own ease around the assassin. But then he shrugged it off as him just going into shock from leaving Jack. His face grew serious once again and he looked intently upon Yassen.

"Did you mean what you said to Jack?" Yassen raised an eyebrow, but other than that kept his eyes on the road. "Am I never coming back?" However, even though he phrased it as a question, he already knew it was the truth; he did not need to ask.

"Eavesdropping is a bad habit of yours, Alex. Where we are going it is best to keep away from doing such things. You will end up getting caught up in things that are none of your business. And yes, you are never coming back. I am taking you somewhere very special, Alex."

**Tsubasa-**


	2. Dark Dreams

**Disclaimer: I don't own Alex or Yassen.**

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_"Did you mean what you said to Jack?" Yassen raised an eyebrow, but other than that kept his eyes on the road. "Am I never coming back?" However, even though he phrased it as a question, he already knew it was the truth; he did not need to ask._

_"Eavesdropping is a bad habit of yours, Alex. Where we are going it is best to keep away from doing such things. You will end up getting caught up in things that are none of your business. And yes, you are never coming back. I am taking you somewhere very special, Alex."_

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**Dark Dreams:**

"Special?"

"Not know, you will have time to find out later."

"Why not know? Why won't you tell me, you already took me away from my home."

"I don't feel like it. Now stop bothering me and keep quiet or go to sleep."

Huffing in annoyance, Alex lent his head against the window, staring listlessly at the lights speeding by.

The car ride was quiet, as Alex continued staring out the window, too confused by what was happening to be able to fall asleep. Mostly he tried to ignore Yassen, which was surprisingly very easy. Yassen's presence next to him was barely anything, and it made Alex realize just what kind of a person he was sitting next to. As much as he might be enjoying the car ride, to have to do it with an assassin was another thing.

At one point, they switched cars, leaving the Ferrari in a garage and getting a rather old jeep. Alex, soon tiring of the silence the two had built up, leaned over and turned on the radio. Humming along to the music, he tried taking his minds away from all the questions he had. _Why would Yassen try protecting him? Was it because of his father? Did MI6 know Yassen was alive? Moreover, had he just been stupid enough to be kidnapped without resistance?_ Alex's eyes flickered to Yassen, the man gave no implication that he noticed, but Alex knew better. _He would not hurt him… Much._

Shuddering he quickly tried pushing away the fear that was building up. However, he could not escape the fact that he had just left the safety of his house with the world's best assassin and his enemy. If they tortured him or killed him, Alex would not be able to resist. Grinding his teeth, he tried thinking about what should be worrying him.

Jack.

He already missed her. But this was for the best. _What they want is me_, he told himself. They will leave her alone… _hopefully_…

He knew that if what Yassen had said was true, than the man would protect him. However, what would happen to Jack, would she go back to America? He hoped so. If MI6 caught her or Scorpia, he doubted very much that Yassen would allow him to leave to save her. The man would probably not even inform him just to make sure he did not make a run for it and give Yassen any more problems than what he knew he had already caused in his year of service for MI6.

He felt more depressed now, and decided to turn his thoughts on Yassen. He wasn't sure what to think of Yassen. Yassen was supposed to be dead, that was the only truth he knew. But his eyes, his senses, and every other part of his body were telling him differently. Yassen sat next to him, very much solid and very much alive. He was not hallucinating or dreaming; his feelings were in conflict. He could not decide whether he hated Yassen or loved him. Yassen had saved him before; even taken a bullet for him; the one he thought had killed him. However, he was also the reason why Alex's life had become even more complicated; his decision to tell Alex about Scorpia had almost gotten him killed. Yes, the scar on his chest would never heal; it was a constant pain that reminded Alex of what he was. A killer, a spy, and a lie.

"I'm so tired  
I've had enough  
If there's one thing I've learned  
you'll always get burned  
But you'll never get it up"

Laughing, Alex realized what music was playing. It was Point of Extinction. True, Alex was tired of never understanding what was going on, of always being used; yet he never did anything about it. _What an ironic song_, he thought bitterly to himself.

"I can figure out the point of anything  
just not as quick as I can mess up my life  
with all my dreams hooked up to hospital machines  
I think next…"

The song was coming to an end, but it never finished. The radio turned static irritated his ears, and forced Alex to turn it off quickly. Yassen had driven off the road onto a dirt path going into the woods. And by woods he meant something more akin to a jungle.

"Yay, I can finally sleep peacefully," Alex muttered sarcastically as his body was roughly thrown to the side of the car as it sped up on the uneven earth below them. Glaring at Yassen, he growled out, "Couldn't you have taken a better road? Just my bloody luck to have to have a nice drive through a forest in the middle of the night!"

"Would you rather I give you up to Scorpia?"

"No but what's wrong with a hotel?"

Yassen sent him a cool glare. "Will you be the one paying than?" Grinding his teeth Alex opened his mouth. However, he was uncertain as to what to answer back so instead he forced out a defeated no and continued to hold on tightly to the sides of his seat.

The woods were thick, and Alex had a feeling that if he tried to escape Yassen's custody he wouldn't be able to find his way back to civilization; at least not until Yassen caught him again. There was no way for him to escape now.

_"You are not a child Alex, not anymore. So stop acting like one. Get over it; you are a killer whether you want to accept it or not, and not a child. Don't kid yourself; that life is about as far from you as the stars."_

Yassen's words came back to him, taunting him, playing with his feelings. It was those words that had made Alex decide to leave with Yassen. He realized he couldn't run any longer; he needed to become stronger, to take on Scorpia and MI6. To be able to protect the once he loved, not be forced to leave them as he just had. Moreover, he knew Yassen would be his best chance when it came to surviving. He wanted to get out; out of the sight and hands of MI6; Away from the danger of Scorpia. He wanted to belong only to himself, if his name was known all around the world he wanted it to be because he choose to have it there. Not because of jobs MI6 forced him to do. He especially did not want his name to be on the top hit lists of assassins and underground organizations.

However, all those things were too late, because he did not belong to himself and he most certainly would never be allowed to belong to himself. His name was also already on hit lists; he'd be suicidal if he tried escaping this world, the best option he could come up with, was to go with it; fight back and hope that Yassen wanted him more alive than dead.

The car came to a halt in a small clearing. There was nothing close by; only shrubs, bushes, and trees. Yassen stepped out of the car, slamming the door shut.

"Get out." The low growl raised the hair on the back of his neck, and the painful throbbing in his head returned. Opening the car door, Alex threw his backpack over his shoulder and followed Yassen into the woods. They walked a little west of the car, entering the bushes. Upon first entering Alex saw nothing, but as he started looking closer he saw the small hut, built in-between 3 large trees. He could see 2 windows next to the door… well; it was more of an entrance with a blanket hanging over it.

Pulling the blanket aside Yassen entered, not sparing a look at Alex. Breathing deeply, Alex looked around before following. Upon entering, he came into a small kitchen, which was filled with dunks of water and a whole counter of canned food. Great, he muttered to himself, no running water.

"Here, drink." Alex caught the water bottle that was thrown to him, eyeing it suspiciously.

"You're not going to drug me or anything, right?" His question had a small smile forming on Yassen's lips, which in turn sent uncomfortable shivers up and down his spine. The assassin walked towards Alex, causing the young teen to tense. _Don't let him see your fear. _

Fear…

Was he afraid of Yassen? His thoughts had stopped any of his movements, and he felt rather idiotic that he had almost stepped away from Yassen as he passed. Of course he was, he would have to be mental not to be. The assassin was too unpredictable, sometimes kind but more often than not he was harsh and demanding.

"Drink." At the commanding voice, Alex wasted no time grumbling over Yassen's anti-social manners, and gulped down the contents of the bottle. It wasn't until then that he realized just how thirsty he was.

He still felt okay- the room wasn't swaying and his head wasn't fuzzy. Emptying the bottle, he stowed it on the counter before walking through a small arch into what looked like a living room. It had a couch and two uncomfortable looking chairs. It was empty and bleak; just like the kitchen. Alex realized that it was empty of personality; nothing of the house reminded him of Yassen. This made him think that Yassen usually didn't stay here, which meant they weren't' going to be here long. Yassen was standing by another doorway, and just like all of the other entrances, it did not have a door to it.

"This is where you will sleep. My advice," Yassen narrowed his eyes, "don't leave your room during the night."

"Where will you be sleeping?"

"On the couch. Do not leave your room." Alex yelped as Yassen pushed between his shoulder blades, forcing him into the room.

"What about food?" he asked, his stomach grumbling almost on queue.

"You can wait until morning." Slumping down, Alex picked up his backpack that had fallen on the floor and started towards the bed. It was a small bunk bed pushed up against the far wall, reminding him of his stay at Brecon Beacons. He fell into the bed, boots and everything still on, and fell asleep before his head hit the pillow.

* * *

_Blood._

_Yassen stood there gun in hand, blood was slowly dripping down them. His blue eyes were like cold steel, emotionless and blank._

_The gun rose, pointing towards him._

_He reached out, mouth opening, gasping, trying to call out his name. But nothing came; he couldn't move only a bubble of fear before…_

_BANG!_

_He blinked his hands heavy. A small elegant handgun with the letter H carved into the hilt was held in his hands. He was standing in pools of blood, with splayed bodies around him. Some he knew, others where people he had simply just passed in life. One of the people reminded him of the supermarket clerk where he went to buy food last week another someone he met while out running. But it was the closest one that caught his attention, it was a face he knew well, the red hair matched the blood on the floor; her eyes stared blankly into nothingness. Jack laid there next to Tom and Sabrina._

_He crumbled._

_This time Alex stood in the middle of a circle. Yassen was by his side, they were facing a big silver scorpion. _

_His heart rate picked up and he could taste the disgusting bile of fear that arose in him._

_Moving closer to Yassen he grabbed a hold of his arm, standing a little behind him almost as if Yassen could protect him. Looking behind him, he met the eyes of Mr. Blunt, gray and emotionless as ever. Next to him was Ms. Johns a small sad smile on her lips and her eyes beckoning Alex over. But he didn't move. _

_K-unit stood to his left, Eagle smiling goofily, his gun hanging over his shoulder. Fox had his head tilted a look of confusion on his face, one that Alex would have smiled mischievously at before. Snake only looked worried his hands holding a first aid kit tightly. And then there was Wolf, his eyes narrow and a tight expression of anger on his face. His gun pointed straight at Alex, or was it Yassen. He couldn't tell._

_A high pitch wail was heard from behind._

_Turning his heart skipped, Jack stood there, tears streaming down her face and she sobbed her hand reaching out to Alex. He looked away. Looking at Tom who had a defiant look on his face, he seemed determined. But for what, to get him back? He could not he didn't belong in their world, he couldn't take Jacks hand. He no longer belonged to them. _

_His eyes turned back to the scorpion, but it was no longer there. Instead he met with the sight of Julia Rothman, Dr. Three, even Walker stood there. His grip tighten on Yassen, not quite sure why, but he felt safe next to him almost like this was how it was supposed to be. So natural._

_He didn't trust Yassen, but then again, he trusted no one. He just didn't want to be alone; he needed someone close to him. What he was afraid of was being forgotten, left behind. Like Ian left him, like his parents. Just like Ash had betrayed him. He was afraid of the darkness he would be in._

_Everything started dissipating, Yassen, Jack, Walker, they all disappeared one by one. Leaving him standing in the dark all alone._

_His heart thumped._

* * *

He woke - sitting up straight, breathing hard. He could still feel the cold metal in his hands, still see those eyes. Biting his lips he held back a sad sob that was close to breaking from his lips. Looking at his wrist watch he saw that it was 3:56. He had been asleep a little over an hour. Wiping his eyes and running his hands through his hair, he gingerly he got out of bed, not wanting to make any noise that could wake Yassen. At least he thought Yassen was asleep. Walking quietly towards the doorway, he looked out.

The room was dark, but he saw light coming from the kitchen. Moving closer he heard the sound of talking. His feet made no noise on the wooden floor as he moved through the room, throwing a quick glance at the empty sofa, just to be sure.

"No." Yassen's voice cut the quiet air; a hint of anger edged into it, speeding Alex's racing heart. "Everything has already been gathered, may I remind you… sir," A hiss. "That I do not work for you. Do not make such a mistake again. Not if you value that life of yours along with those you so call family." A long silence, broken with a quick shut of the phone. Which caused Alex to jump; he was about to move back to his room, thinking that Yassen was done talking, when he heard the press of buttons.

"Cossack," Alex turned his head quickly to his left, staring intently at the wall. He was sure he had seen something move.

"Yes, do you wish me to finish him?" Yassen continued, but Alex wasn't listening; he was sure now that someone was in the room with him. Even though he felt no presence from anyone, he was sure. Having his life put on the line so many times he knew the aura of death by know.

Moving into a defensive position, he scanned the room. Alex was trying to take in the smallest of details, and so when the hit came it stunned him completely. He had not noticed the person being so close to him. His eyes were watering from the hit to the head, but he had no time to think of the pain. A brutal kick to his ribs had him flying backwards, his back hitting the sofa's arm and bending him into an uncomfortable position.

Before he had a chance to try anything there were big hands around his neck forcing him down on his back into the sofa, gasping he tried pulling away. Managing to get his leg up a little, he pushed the man on top of him of, of him while rolling his body at the same time, sending them both crashing to the floor. Standing up he kicked out, and got the satisfaction of hearing a moan of pain escape the man as his foot connected… at least he think it did… with his chin. Jumping back, he felt his hair move at the pressure from a kick from the other guy. He could not help thinking that that hit had connected with its target…him… then he surely would have been out until next week.

He attacked, arms flying and legs everywhere. He heard a sharp crack and an intake of breath, before the hard butt of a pistol was slammed into his temple. Crumbling, he laid there, dazed, before struggling to get up. However, before he knew it the man was on him, his knees digging painfully into Alex's thighs. A hit to Alex's arm rendered it useless for the time being. The man who had attacked Alex forced his other arm out to his side. Alex was pinned.

"Bastard, who are you?" Alex gasped, wriggling his body. "Get the bloody hell of off me! Yass…" he was cut off by an arm slamming his head down on the floor, sending stars into his sight, and then a strong forearm being pressed into his throat. Gagging for air his mind became numb, and slowly he felt darkness creep into his eyes.

Then the weight was gone and Alex found himself able to breathe. Gulping down air, he curled up into a ball, holding his head painfully.

"Alex."Suddenly Yassen was next to him, rolling Alex over so he could examine him. He had lit the room with a few candles; it was enough to see by but it sent the room into an eerie glow. "Look at me, Alex." Cranking open his eyes, he stared into the steel blue then turned his head, irritation filling him. He moaned in pain. Twice in one day, his head had been hit against some hard surface, and it certainly was not any fun for him. Nauseated he tried sitting up, but swayed back and forth. His stomach rolled and for a while, he thought he was going to puck. However, he managed to keep it down. Lying back, he breathed deeply, feeling pain from his ribs to his head.

He looked passed Yassen, who was next to him, his fingers parting Alex's hair and feeling along his neck. Alex flinched at first but the movement caused him too much pain and nausea so he allowed himself the man's treatment. He glared at his attacker, whom he now could see. The man must have been about his mid twenties; he had dark hair that was pulled tight into a ponytail at the back and a very well trained body. Very similar to Yassen, just not as close to a dancer as Yassen was, this guy looked more like a hunter. But that wasn't what startled Alex; no, what startled him was the vivid green eyes that shone out at him. They were looking; it almost felt like, right through him. He was very handsome, and Alex bet that a lot of girls had drooled over him.

A hiss escaped Alex as Yassen's roaming fingers on his head pressed against his wound. Smirking when he heard the hiss of pain, Yassen contently drew his hands away from Alex.

"What did I tell you little Alex about leaving the room." The man sat back, his eyes fixed on him. "You've gotten yourself a mild concussion, however your heads not bleeding. Other than that, I would say you will be bruised for a few days."

"Is this the reason you told me not to leave the room?"

"Not quite, you see I was waiting for him to get here. He arrived while I was…" The man stopped a displeased look crossing his face, but it was gone before Alex could make anything more of it. "Making a phone call. So I never got the chance to tell him that you where in the other room and not to attack you, before you decided to take it on yourself to wander into the room. Really Alex you only have yourself to blame."

Alex opened his mouth to say something only to be cut off by Green Eye, which Alex decided to name the man.

"I didn't know you took care of brats now. And brats that know how to pull a kick no less." The man said, grinning happily, as he massaged his aching jaw, seemingly happy by how well Alex fought. "Will we be taking him with us?"

Frowning, Yassen narrowed his eyes at Green Eye.

"No, I had thought of taking him straight to the Base. Alex here needs to disappear for a while, or at least stay out of the radar." Green Eye cocked an eyebrow.

"People hunting him, what he do to get on someone's bad side? Steal some important documents, did he assault an officer." The man seemed to think it was funny. "Who is it that's looking for him?"

"MI6." Yassen stated as Alex got up on his knees, growling in frustration. The nausea just refused to go away, but Alex was too stubborn to be letting it show.

"Don't talk as if I'm not here. And why only MI6, or were you lying to me? Are you taking me to Scorpia?" A splutter of laughter escaped Green Eye.

"Man kid, if you're here your already in the depth of Scorpia. Thought I don't see what you want with a brat, Cossack. He seems athletic and all, but this is not like you taking up a kid like this. Maybe you had more damage done to you by the bullet after all." Yassen stood up and whacked the man harshly, but the man only laughed and rubbed his head, seemingly unconcerned by Yassen's violence.

Alex stared at them, his eyes big and his palms sweaty. Scorpia.

"Was it them you were talking to earlier?" Yassen pierced Alex to his spot with fierce eyes.

"Eavesdropping again- we are going to have to do something about that hobby of yours to make you realize you no longer live in a world that accepts that kind of … manners. The same with following orders; I believe I told you not to leave the room. The next time you defy me, your punishment will be worst than just a concussion and some bruises." All Alex could do was shrug helplessly and avert his eyes to the floor.

"Aw~ Come on Cossack; let's take the kid with us. I am sure we can teach him some manners later. Besides it's not like we will be in the midst of enemy territory."

Yassen nodded his head, seemingly in agreement, still staring at Alex with disapproval. But all Alex could think of was how many emotions he was seeing crossing Yassen's face; more than he ever thought the man had. The thought for some reason was comforting.

Alex tightened his fingers into fists by his side, what had they meant with he was already in Scorpia? He was supposed to be safe, Yassen wouldn't… would he?

The cold blue eyes, unreadable where staring at him, maybe Alex stupidity had allowed him to trust someone he wasn't supposed to. Nevertheless, the show of concern the man seemed to have had for that split moment when Alex laid on the floor, it had been real.

Holding tightly to that belief Alex allowed himself to believe he was doing the right thing.

**Tsubasa-**


	3. Dark Truths

_Alex tightened his fingers into fists by his side, what had they meant with he was already in Scorpia? He was supposed to be safe, Yassen wouldn't… would he?_

_The cold blue eyes, unreadable where staring at him, maybe Alex stupidity had allowed him to trust someone he wasn't supposed to. Nevertheless, the show of concern the man seemed to have had for that split moment when Alex laid on the floor, it had been real._

_Holding tightly to that belief Alex allowed himself to believe he was doing the right thing._

* * *

**Dark truths:**

It was early Wednesday morning, sometime just past 8 o'clock. The streets of Spain were busy with activity as shops were opening and people hurrying back and forth, everyone completely oblivious to the duo up on the twenty-fourth floor of a five star hotel. The duo who were at the moment deeply immersed in a staring contest.

Alex shivered uncomfortably; the heater was on, but even so the room was freezing cold. Cobra's green eyes stared intently at him; they were just begging Alex to challenge them.

"If you have something to say then say it." Alex finally snapped, pissed by the unearthly silence they had built up between them. The man only raised an eyebrow and turned away in an arrogant manner, ignoring the teenager and opting instead to stare out the window.

Yassen had left earlier that morning, refusing to tell Alex where he was heading. Not that he really had to tell Alex anyway, anyone who knew what Yassen's job was would figure out what he was doing here in Spain. Alex was not expecting to be told anything anyways, for the last couple of days that he had been here Yassen had barely spoken to him. But what really surprised Alex was that Cobra appeared to know about what Yassen was doing here only about as much as the teen did. Cobra was a puzzle that Alex was not able to solve - at least not through what he had learned so far of the man.

After being introduced to Cobra that first night in the woods, he and Alex had been on rocky grounds. Cobra in Alex's mind was too childish to possibly be an assassin. Not only was he very fond of expressing whatever was on his mind without considering the consequences of his expressing them, but he also played pranks and made jokes. But from what Alex had seen of the man in the first few minutes of their meeting he knew at least that the man had been trained, and if he was with Yassen it must have been Scorpia who trained him.

At first Alex had considered it relaxing to have someone carefree around, as it contradicted Yassen's cold stare, but he quickly came to the conclusion that Cobra's pranks were far worse than spending time in the silent company of the assassin.

That first day Yassen had sent him to bed after introducing him to Cobra and telling Alex that they would be leaving later on in the afternoon for Spain. Only a few hours later Alex had been woken with a bucket of cold water and the sight of Cobra clenching his stomach in laughter. Alex had taken it as a declaration of war as his teenage brain did everything in its power to get revenge on the childish assassin. At first Alex had considered it like a cat and mouse game, but it quickly grew more dangerous as both opponents realized the others capabilities. From then on it had been all fun and games until they got their hands on knives, where the situation quickly escalated into something other than play.

Up until then Yassen had done everything to ignore them - refusing to take sides or to even get anywhere close to caring about what was going on between the two of them. But as soon as the knives came out both Cobra and Alex found themselves to the floor, the cold eyes of the assassin on them as he growled out a warning.

"If I find either of you trying anything like that again, I will personally finish it," Yassen threatened darkly. His dark eyes then turned to Cobra. "Cobra, I shouldn't have to be saying anything to you, but I will smartly tell you this. Lay your hands on Alex again and I will hand you to the instructors."

Alex had watched, fascinated, as Cobra's face quickly lost its color. Cobra hurriedly nodded in compliance.

"Alex, let me remind you that this is not MI6 and you won't be receiving any special treatment." The man's words stung him, but he hid it well behind his mask. Fear was finally setting in as Alex wondered just what Yassen had in mind for him.

After the incident, Cobra and Alex had made sure to stay far apart, speaking to the minimum if even that at all. In the first few days of their company, Alex had realized that Cobra seemed to worship the ground that Yassen walked on. Weird as it was, it eased Alex's worried mind to know that the wannabe assassin would do nothing to anger Yassen.

But as much as Cobra agreed to Yassen's terms, he hated not knowing anything about the brat that had all of a sudden been taken under Yassen's wing. He couldn't just ignore the jealousy that crept through him. And so, the older man waited to make his move.

Cobra watched the boy from the corner of his eyes, considering how to get his answer. Yassen wasn't talking, not to him or the kid. His green eyes met with the dark brown eyes of the kid, and he wondered what could have happened to give a kid such a look. Sure they had fought and irritated each other, but Cobra had not seen it until this morning, when he finally gotten a good look at the brat. He had dark eyes, an empty expression, and his every move was guarded. In a way he reminded him of Yassen, except that the brat came off as being nowhere near as intimidating as Yassen was - just being in the older assassin's presence sent shivers down even the most well trained killer's spine.

The boy fidgeted and glanced towards the bedroom doors, most likely considering whether to go to the other room or stay where he was. And as he watched the younger male a plan started to form in Cobra's mind.

Alex glanced down on his lap, considering whether to go to bed or stay in the same room as Cobra. The thought didn't sit well with him. Whatever Yassen had said to Cobra wouldn't last forever, and he could tell from the constant curious looks that he could see that the man kept shooting him he wanted to be as far away from Cobra as possible when Yassen's warning expired. However, Yassen had forbidden him from leaving the hotel room; threatening him with what would happen, and Alex shuddered just thinking about being on the receiving end of an angry Yassen. No, his best option was to go along with whatever Yassen told him to do. He had, after all, agreed to go with the assassin on his own free will. Better Yassen than MI6.

Alex thought back to his latest missions. He figured Yassen must have heard about them somehow, otherwise the Russian would not have come. They had not been pleasant, worse than anything MI6 had thrown him into then before, but it was not only the danger of it that bothered him. No, what bothered him the most was the ease with which he had managed to kill. He still remembered when the thought of hurting someone would make his stomach clench in disgust, now he could watch the blood drain from an opponent without so much as a tint of guilt filling him. Dragging his hand through his hair, he sighed. _My job must be getting to me,_ Alex thought. Quickly shutting that thought off, he turned his attention back to the man before him. _Now, whether to deal with him or not? _

Standing up, Alex moved towards the bedroom. No, he wasn't ready to face Cobra. His thoughts had riled him up too much; he could not deal with the man's curiosity at the moment.

"Sit down." Cobra's commanding voice cut off his thoughts. The small smile that usually played on the older man's lips was gone. His green eyes had a dark cover over them, and for a moment Alex felt a small sense of respect to the man. But never the less, he felt himself getting nervous. _What could the man possibly want now? _Swallowing, he looked between his door and Cobra, considering making a run for it. Cobra's eyes narrowed and Alex took his seat quickly, refusing to drop his gaze.

"Who are you?" The question had Alex's head tilting in confusion.

"Alex Rider." The man only stared at him.

"That's not an answer."

"Then what kind of answer do you want? If you're looking for more than that you're not going to get it from me." With those words, Alex stood up, hurrying towards his bedroom door. Just like last time, he did not feel the attack coming. He just all of a sudden found himself on the floor, a hardcover book lying to the side of him. Alex picked it up angrily.

"What the bloody hell do you think you're doing? Are you trying to kill…" he stopped- the sofa in front of him was empty. Looking around, he realized that Cobra was gone. Alex let the book drop and looked around the room, his eyebrows drawing together. _Where did he go? Did he decide to leave?_

An arm snaked around the younger male's waist, drawing him against a stiff body. The cold feel of metal slid across his neck.

"You're full of openings; if I'd wanted to kill you, you would have been easy prey," a cold voice whispered into Alex's ear.

"Good thing you weren't going to then." Alex said, smiling, as he felt butterflies in his stomach. He was getting excited about the aspect of the fight to come. Even though he was uncertain as to how to proceed, Yassen had been very clear when he told them to stop. However, the cold knife was very real, resting against his throat. Apparently, Cobra had decided to continue their games.

"Don't play with me kid. What I want to know is why Cossack would take a brat like you in. I will not lie, you have some skill and potential; but that won't get you far, not with that mind set you seem to have. Now tell me kid, did someone pay him to take you, sold you? Because the Cossack I know would never waste his time on kids. I spent years training for the opportunity to do a hit with him; do you think you're special?"

"Are you jealous?" The question slipped of, of Alex's tongue before he knew it. Closing his eyes he hoped he hadn't angered the man, but as always luck was not on his side.

"Jealous, who do you think I am? No; what I want to know is why some street urchin like you has the right to not only be in Cossack's presence, but also the right to talk back to him. I've meet many people while with him, and none of them ever came out unharmed or even alive from talking back to him. Now to make it easier on the both of us, why not just tell me what your relationship with him is?"

Alex snorted at that, ignoring the knife at his throat for a moment as he considered his next move. "And what makes you think that you are worthy of knowing my past?"

With that said, Alex twisted to his right, bringing his left hand up to the knife and twisting it back. Turning, Alex managed to bring both of them down onto the ground. But what he hadn't planned for was for Cobra to try grab on to him, his knife forgotten in his hand. Cobra's knife slid smoothly along Alex's upper arm, bringing a sudden flash of pain to the boy's nerves.

The teen stilled, confused for a moment by the sudden pain. That was all that Cobra needed to reverse their positions, rolling on top of the smaller body with ease.

The assassin-in-training threw the knife away and looked at the boy, a sigh of relief filling him as he realized it was only a small flesh wound. It probably would not leave much of a scar, if it left one at all. He didn't want to anger Yassen too much, after all he had promised to not lay a hand on the kid.

"Look, let's just make this easy on the both of us, just tell me…" Cobra never got to finish as a fist connected with his jaw. Gasping, he brought his hand up to capture the frail wrist. The boy's struggling form caused him to thrust his elbow into the boy's chest for support. But he quickly moved his arms off of the boy as Alex's eyes widened and a gasp of pain emitted from him.

Alex tried rolling over, trying to curl up into a ball. His head was pounding, and the pain from his chest where the bullet wound was had brought tears to his eyes. But Cobra wasn't having any of it; he wanted to solve the kid's mystery and the more he tried the more confused and puzzling it became. Gripping the boy in a tight hold again he held Alex still as he prodded the thin chest, trying to find what had caused the pain. He smiled happily to himself as he heard a sharp hiss of pain escape the teen's lips, acknowledging that he had found something. Cobra's hand was currently held over the boy's heart.

"Hmm… what do we have here?" Cobra asked, pleased with his discovery. Tugging up the shirt, his eyes widened and he let his grip loosen on the kid as he stared, fascinated, at a wound just above his heart. Alex took the opportunity to escape, scrambling away from Cobra before the older man had a chance to pin him down again. Spitting angry words at the assassin to be, Alex pulled down his shirt. But Cobra wasn't listening to the teen; no, he was laughing. Combing his fingers through his hair to calm down, he looked over at Alex. Any seriousness that was there before was gone, replaced once again with the childish smirk.

"Seems like you have a very interesting story to tell," Cobra said. The older male smiled, going back to his spot on the sofa and sitting down.

"A bullet wound, eh?"

**Tsubasa-**


	4. Dark Realities

_"Seems like you have a very interesting story to tell," Cobra said. The older male smiled, going back to his spot on the sofa and sitting down._

_"A bullet wound, eh?"_

* * *

**Dark Realities:**

Alex looked away from Cobra, running his hand through his hair in frustration. He let his eyes travel back to the man and stared at him intently. He did not have a smart comeback to answer Cobras' gleeful grin. Letting out a frustrating growl, Alex covered the cut on his arm with his opposite hand, and walked over to a chair where he was as far away as possible from the assassin but still close enough that they could hold a conversation without the two of them having to yell at each other. He narrowed his eyes at the green ones that were following his every move before he decided to talk.

"Yeah, it's a bullet wound. What is it to you? I'm sure that you have a couple of holes in that body of yours as well." He let his eyes travel over the assassin's body to make his point. His answer only earned him a bigger smile from the man; who seemed to have relaxed and abandoned his previous plan- whatever that had been.

"Indeed I have. Quite a few well placed ones actually, the pride of my life. There is one that I…" he trailed off, realizing that the kid was trying to lead the conversation of, of himself and onto Cobra. Grunting in frustration, he looked about the room before setting his eyes on Alex again.

"Fine, so you're not ready to talk. I have an idea. Since both of us want something from the other- you want to know where we are going and I want to know about you- we each ask one question each. How about that, will that work?"Alex assessed the man in front of him. _Is he up to something again? _Alex looked towards his bedroom door. _Better not try anything; I will not reach it in time._ He nodded, feeling somewhat mad at how the situation was going and how easy he gave in. He felt especially weak having lost the fight, a fight he knew he should have been able to win.

"Fine, I'll play. Shoot."

The man smiled at the ironic statement at the end, before asking his first question."How did you meet Cossack?"

Alex tilted his head."On a mission." Giving Cobra the answer with as little of what really happened as possible, that was his strategy.

"Don't give me one word answers; we aren't going to get very far on these questions if you're going to keep this up. Just think of it this way- the more information you give me the less pain you have to go through."

Alex blinked and smiled ruthlessly."It was three words and … are you threatening me?" He glanced down at his arm. "Child abuse isn't it," he muttered almost as an afterthought.

Cobra froze, and then a small smile played onto his lips before he was suddenly laughing fully. Wiping away imaginary tears, he watched the kid, feeling entertained and somewhat relaxed. More so than he had felt in a very long time, anyway. _Well, at least the kid is entertaining, _he thought to himself. Cobra found that he wanted to mess with the boy more; mostly because like most assassins he was a very sadistic person. But he managed to keep himself in check because fear of what Cossack might do to him had him considering his moves carefully. Especially since, he had already injured the kid once today.

"Fine; another question. How is your arm doing?" Alex looked down on his arm, almost like he had forgotten about it.

It was not bleeding too badly, and his arm was numb, so he didn't feel it either.

"I'm fine." This caused the man to roll his eyes.

"Be a teenager about it and complain, would you not?" He replied, exasperated. "You are too serious sometimes; no wonder Cossack wants you."

The man gracefully got up off the sofa, moving over the room to one of the bedroom doors. "Stay there," he commanded before disappearing.

Alex did as he was told; feeling tired after the trying day and just wanting to go to sleep. He hoped that Yassen had finish up whatever work he had to do so that they could be on the road again, and maybe he could even get some answers. Lost in his thoughts, Alex did not notice Cobra entering the room again.

Smiling, Cobra put down the medical pack on the counter before moving behind the teenager. His plan was simply to scare the teen a little, but as his hand connected with the tense shoulders and his mouth opened to yell his breath was quickly stolen from him. He felt his body lift lightly off of the floor before he found himself on his back once again, the boy standing over him with empty eyes.

"W-what! Oy kid, what was that for?"

The boy kept looking at him with the same blank look for a while, and then he slowly blinked, looked around, and hastily let go of one of Cobra's arms. Embarrassed, he backed up into his chair again.

"I- I am so sorry, I was just thinking and then and…" He gestured helplessly with his hands, cursing lightly under his breath.

Cobra stared at him in shock. "What… Why are you so mad? Shouldn't I be the one who's mad? After all, I was just taken down by a brat who I had meant to scare." But his words didn't go through; Alex just kept glaring dangerously at his hands. "Are you mad at me for trying to scare you? Yeesh, in that case I'm sorry for trying to lighten the mood." The boy looked up, surprised.

"It's not you," he whispered, a sad look consuming his eyes. "It's me." Sighing, he returned his gaze to his hands. "It's not normal. I didn't even realize what had happened until you started talking. It hadn't even occurred to me that I'd taken you down."

Cobra sat up, staring at the now depressed teenager.

"What are you talking about? Those are some good reflexes in my opinion." But all Cobra's attempted help gave him was a dangerous growl.

"Reflexes- exactly. That's all it is. What other fifteen year old teenager do you know that has reflexes like that? If this continues, I'll end up killing someone accidentally."

"Fifteen… hold on a minute, you're fifteen? How the heck did you get messed up with Cossack, MI6, and whatever other crap, if you're only fifteen?" Cobra stared at the teen longer. He could have sworn the kid was older than that, but he knew he was not about to get any answers. He watched as the boy's face tightened up and hid itself. "Fine, be blank," he grumbled as he stood up. He moved over to where he had dumped the Aid kit. "At least let me fix your arm; Cossack will have my hind if I don't."

This caused Alex to smile. "Well, maybe complaining to Yassen will give you sufficient punishment for bothering me. After all, you weren't supposed to touch me if I'm remembering correctly." Cobra growled dangerously at the teenager.

"Don't you dare. Here, for once, I am trying to help, and this is what I get. Well, I don't really care what you think. You are taking of your shirt and letting me wrap you up nice and tight, and then we can both do what we want until Cossack comes back. Go our separate ways, if you will." Alex simply smirked, feeling a deep satisfaction in irking the man.

"Okay, might as well. It is your fault I ended up hurt, and you've already seen the bullet wound, so it's not going to kill me to take of my shirt." With that said, Alex quickly peeled of his shirt, throwing it to the floor before facing Cobra again. He stopped in his track as he saw a somewhat horrified expression cover the man's features before quickly disappearing.

"Well, now that I get a good look at you; you're not too bad looking," he joked, lifting his eyebrows in a flirtatious manner.

"Don't try too hard, you'll hurt yourself," Alex said softly. He shook his head, laughing somewhat to himself at the man's horrible attempt to hide his shock. "Just fix my arm."

Cobra sat himself down on the side of the couch, gripping the arm lightly as he inspected the wound. He wiped off as much blood as he could. He felt somewhat relieved as he realized it was a clean cut. "This should heal nicely, just as long as you rest and don't overwork yourself." An evil smirk disoriented his features as he lifted a brown bottle and poured the contents onto the wound.

Alex, having been looking the other way letting the man work as it seemed that that was what Cobra had wanted to do, he had been ignoring him. That is, until he felt a harsh sting followed by a numb blowing sensation. Alex hissed in pain and tried to pull his arm back, but Cobra only tightened his grip.

"Pussy can't stand some pain," he jeered. The words caused Alex to quickly bite his tongue, refusing to let the man see his unease. But when the man started prodding something into the wound he couldn't hold in the moan of pain.

"Bastard," he gasped.

"I know. I am an assassin, what can I say." Finally having wrapped the wound the older male patted it lightly. "There you are, all wrapped up nicely. Now, if Cossack finds out we'll just say you tripped and fell or some shit like that."

Rolling his eyes, Alex tried tugging his arm away from the man. But for some reason he still refused to let go. "Look, if you're done, can I leave now?"

"No."

"Why not?" Alex shivered uncomfortably as he felt the other male let his long fingers travel over his shoulders. "What are you doing?"

"These burn marks, how did you get them?" Alex looked at him, inwardly debating with himself for a moment before finally deciding it would not kill him to tell the man some few minor details.

"I blew a man up with a barrel of oil, but some of it splattered onto me."

Cobra chuckled lightly at that, and to Alex's horror a great burdened seemed to have lifted itself from him.

"So you are an assassin." The carefree words tightened Alex's chest.

"No." The man stopped what he was doing and looked into Alex's eyes. "I'm no killer."

"Sure you are." Cobra stated, patting Alex's head. "You just told me you blew a man up with an oil barrel. Doesn't that make you a killer?" Looking away, Alex swallowed, the man was right. Just like what Yassen had said, he was just being childish by continuously telling himself that he can justify the killings he has done. But the truth was, that he was just as much of a killer as Yassen was. Except Yassen accepted what he did, he did not hide what he does. He was a killer and nothing could make him anything else. Alex though, what did he do, he hide behind the law, justifying his kills as self-defense and rightfully done. If it was for the safety of millions, than one life what did that mean?

Alex watched Cobra as his fingers traveled over his chest and back, tracing the many knife marks, burn marks, bullet marks and various other kinds of scars that marked him. _Maybe he's not as bad as I first thought,_ Alex considered. He knew that if he said something along those lines to Jack she would have been horrified, and if he tried talking about something like that to Tom or Sabina or even to Ben, none of them would have taken it like that. They might have tried to hide the shock and seemed sympathetic to him, or maybe they would have even been scared, but not Cobra and most likely not Yassen either. The thought soothed him, and he found himself happy with his decision to follow Yassen. MI6 would never understand him or help him; the most they could do was keep his mind occupied on other things.

"Okay, Cobra, I know I'm hot and all that, but would you stop touching me?" Cobra smiled up at Alex with a feline grin.

"Never." With that he pounced on Alex, forcing the small boy down on his back on the sofa. He pinned him there with the weight of his body while keeping some weight on his hands so that he was positioned next to Alex's head. He leaned down, staring into the wide brown eyes and for once instead of dark brown and serious, they were wide and innocent; a clear almond color in them. He put his mouth next to the boy's ear and whispered into it lightly before getting back up. He gathered up the medical pack, and disappeared into the bedroom again without so much as a backwards look to the boy.

Alex sat there for a while, trying to figure out what had just happened. He dragged his hand through his hair and then shook his head. _The thinking was not worth it_. Getting up, he threw on his shirt before heading to his bedroom.

He felt himself falling asleep almost as quickly as he hit the bed. All of his clothes were still on, and the only thing he could think of was that he hoped he wasn't going to make a habit of sleeping clothed. That and the words Cobra had whispered in his ear before he had left.

"D.E.L.T.A.," he mumbled tiredly as he let the soothing darkness of sleep consume him.

**Tsubasa-**


	5. Dark Sights

_He felt himself falling asleep almost as quickly as he hit the bed. All of his clothes were still on, and the only thing he could think of was that he hoped he wasn't going to make a habit of sleeping clothed. That, and the words Cobra had whispered in his ear before he had left._

_"D.E.L.T.A.," he mumbled tiredly as he let the soothing darkness of sleep consume him._

* * *

**Dark Sights:**

He woke with a shock his body trashing against the blankets that where twisted around him. He felt his heart pounding and there was a sickening feeling clenching in his stomach. Groaning he rolled of the bed stumbling towards the bathroom, not even bothering to turn the lights on.

The water was cold and refreshing as he splashed it on himself, before sinking exhausted down to his knees.

"What a shitty way of waking up." He mumbled leaning his forehead against the cabin doors underneath the sink.

With a heavy sigh he stood back up and continued his stumbling to the shower; turning the water on and letting it run for a while before getting in. He relaxed himself against the wall, allowing the water to fall over him, untying his tense knots.

Frowning he tried remembering what the dream had been about, but nothing came to him; only the sensation that something had been wrong. _I miss Jack, _He kept remembering how she would make him hot coco when he woke up in the middle of the night, how she would force him to watch some horribly made soap opera until he couldn't remember why he'd been scared at all. And as he recalled this he felt lonelier then he had during any other mission he had ever been on. He hated how out of his depths he felt being here; sharing a hotel room with two assassins.

He forcefully pushed his thoughts from the front of his mind, _Now is not the time to be sentimental, Alex _he berated himself; before stepping out of the shower to towel himself of.

As he made his way into the main room where he had had his talk with Cobra earlier that day, he realized that there where a couple of lights on. He frowned at that sure that Cobra would have turned the lights off.

He tensed at the feeling of being watched before looking around, his eyes meeting the cold stare of Yassen's. The man was sitting in one of the armchairs against a corner of the room, a thick book held lightly in one hand. He was still dressed in the same clothes he'd worn earlier and Alex came to the conclusion that the assassin had yet to go to bed.

Breaking eye contact Alex made his way over to the refrigerator to make himself a glass of orange juice. Then he found himself staring between the kitchen counter and the sofa opposite the assassin. _Well tonight is as good as any night to try talking. _With that, he set of to the sofa with heavy uncertain steps.

They sat there for what seemed like hours to Alex but it could not have been more than fifteen minutes. No matter how hard Alex tried, he could not bring himself to start a conversation; no matter how curious he was on the reason what Yassen wanted with him.

For the first time Alex truly had a good look at the man who had saved his life so many times. The man's light blue eyes where fixed on the page before him, the hand not holding the book rested lightly on the armrest of the chair. He had very light blond hair that was closely cropped; with a lean muscular form, one Alex knew moved with grace that any dancer would be jealous of. His clothing was dark; both shirt and pants bagged to give him more room to move around with. And of course the ruler straight scar just below his cheek.

"What do you want Alex?"

The man's voice startled Alex and he jumped lightly at it; having forgotten himself within his thoughts. The blue eyes where fixed on him, unmoving and cold.

"Um, well… Nothing." He said lamely staring down at his all of a sudden interesting hands.

"Alex." He swallowed, but still refused to look up. "Alex, look at me." The cold warning in that deep voice had him shaking even more as he took deep breaths and looked up; the assassin's eyes were trained on him with a contemplating expression on his face, "Why are you not in bed?"

"I could ask you the same thing."

Sighing the man went back to his book, "Nightmare." It was not a question; the man clearly knew that that was the reason for Alex's inability to fall asleep.

Alex gave a small nod, _is Yassen trying to hold a conversation with me?_

Opening his mouth Alex felt his throat constrict; he cleared it uncomfortably before trying again.

"Yassen, do you ever have nightmares?" Alex bite down on his inside cheek, what was he doing asking an assassin if he had nightmares. _Stupid, so stupid of me. Why can't I ever shut up when I should and what were you hoping to get from that? Sympathy?_

"Sometimes." The answer was unexpected and Alex could not help but look critically at the Russian. The man had abandoned his book to give Alex his full attention. The man's eyes held an accessing look in them and it seemed he was trying to find something in Alex's eyes. Finally, it seemed he had what he wanted, for he nodded to himself and stood up.

"Get you jacket."

He following the Russians graceful move with his eyes but still refused to get up, "What?" Confusion was taking over, it must be around two, three, in the morning and the assassin wanted to go for a… walk?

"Jacket, we are leaving for a while."

"What about Cobra?"

The Russian had stopped a hard look in his eyes as he stared at the teenager with impatience.

"I believe he is old enough to take care of himself. Now do not make me ask you again."

It was all Alex needed to stand up and hurry towards the assassin dragging his jacket of the back of the sofa as he went past it, before they were out of the hotel room and into a car away from preying eyes.

The car ride was spent in silence, Yassen having stopped acknowledging Alex the moment they were out of the hotel and had returned to his normal unemotional cold persona. Alex lent his head against the window, looking out at the houses as they passed. He had been in Spain before and he still marveled at how beautiful it was; even this late at night, lights lit up the streets.

They moved further away from the town, following next to the docks for a while before turning a sharp left into a row of long warehouses.

"What are we going to do?" His voice cracked and he hated himself for it, hoping Yassen had not caught it but knowing Yassen he must have noticed.

"It is not a job, Alex."

As the Russian's words washed over him Alex felt his nerves soothed. He was surprised at how nervous he was that there might be more to this trip than he had thought. Yassen quickly got out of the car ones he parked it and Alex followed suite this time without any prompting from the assassin.

Yassen had opened up a small door on the side of one of the many warehouses, waiting for Alex to get in before he followed. As he let the doors fall shut behind him the lights flickered on and Alex found himself rooted to the spot, his mouth hanging open.

All around him there where weapons, training mats, shooting ranges; the warehouse was one huge training center.

"I read your files; you still haven't completed your training." Swallowing Alex nodded, _Training, is he talking about the one in Malagosto?_

"Malagosto?"

"Yes Alex, your training there." He was taking out a pair of guns; it was the same black sleek design as he had used to shot when he was training. "I want you to strip it down, clean it, then shot the targets."

Nodding Alex took a hold of one of the guns; relishing in the feel of it in his hands and the way his mind seemed all of a sudden blank and calm. He felt more relaxed then he could remember having felt in a long time. The thought had him smiling sadly. _To be comforted by the feel of a gun in your hand, how sad._

The Russians eyes never left him; they took in every detail of what Alex's was doing. Neither agreeing or disagreeing ones the gun had been taken apart, cleaned and put back together; he just nodded for the boy to continue to the shooting range.

Weighing the gun in one hand he nodded pleasantly to himself, it was the perfect size, fit lightly in his hands. Then he slowly brought the gun up pointed towards the target before letting his eyes fall shut as he felt the gun become a part of his body opening them only when he started shooting. It was all instinct and the hours he had spent on the island doing just this was coming back and he could hear his instructor in his mind. 'Let your body relax, don't think, just shot. A gun's not something you use to threaten with; it's something you kill with. Whatever it is person, animal, it's just a target and your top priority is to hit that target; no matter what.'

As he finished the clip he looked towards his target to see how he did, but it was switched out mechanically and a new one took the others place.

"Again," Said Yassen and Alex quickly complied putting in another clip he let it lose and just like the other, ones he finished it up he got another 'again' from the cold Russian.

By the time an hour or so had gone by with the same continuous firing on Yassen's orders, his body was aching and his upper arm was numb. The only thing Alex was worried about was that it would start bleeding; he had yet to come up with an excuse to get not only Cobra but himself out of trouble. They had after all done what Yassen had warned them not to do; fight.

Sighing tiredly, he let his arms drop to the side, feeling ready for that sleep he was unable to have earlier, but Yassen had other thoughts. After ushering, Alex to put the gun up he stepped up onto a small raised platform clearly made for sparring.

"Yassen, can this not wait till morning I'm about as dead on my feet as a slug." All he got for his troubles was the same cold uncompassionate look.

"Your enemies won't wait."

He attacked not waiting for Alex to ready himself, this caused Alex to stumble back in surprise the hit glancing of his left shoulder and he spun to the floor. Rolling up quickly just in time for Yassen's leg to fly pass his head. The next punch he managed to block being forced to use both forearms from the force of it, but it left him open and the next punch to his rips was a dead hit. Falling over he wheezed out in pain.

He curled in slightly on himself, trying to get his breath back. The kick hadn't been to break only to bruise but it did not take away the pain that was shooting through him.

"I won't be so nice next time, fight back."

Growling in frustration Alex charged sending a roundhouse kick to Yassen's head but in the last minute dropped to his knees sweeping his feet hoping to take Yassen down. However, Yassen was far more experienced to fall for something like that and with ease jumped out of the way, steeping behind Alex before the boy had time to get up and sending him sprawling again this time with a spear poke to the exposed neck.

Alex laid there for a while, his head muffled and clearly disoriented; the dull throb he had felt earlier was now a piercing pain behind his eyes. Blinking away the water that was forcing its way through, he stumbled back on his feet.

Breathing hard he faced Yassen again, uncertainty lacing through him as he watched the calm man in front of him. Yassen was not breathing hard; he did not even look like he had had a warm up yet.

He could feel the fear making its way through his body, taking the pain with it. He felt empty all of a sudden, his arm wasn't hurting his head was fuzzy but not in a bad away, just like if he had spend a whole day meditating.

He felt his instincts to survive kick in. His sight on the fight had changed, it was no longer for training but to survive and he smoothly changed his stance; ready to kill to survive.

* * *

Yassen watched this, enjoying the way the boy's eyes turned from innocent, scared to accessing, and cold. They gave absolutely nothing away; he was pleased with himself as he realized he had done the right thing. If he trained the boy well enough, he would have a very lethal weapon on his hands. Not the boy that had to be blackmailed for MI6 to use him, but one whose instincts are not only to survive but to make the right choices, choose when to feel and when not to feel. The Alex now was on autopilot and would most likely be disoriented when he came to.

This time as the boy attacked, there were no hint of hesitation in his moves. He wasn't aiming to be kind, not aiming to simply spar. No the kicks, the punches, they were meant for a certain target and every one of them where aimed to kill.

Yassen could see why Alex had been accepted into Scorpia; he must have shown this to them before. All Scorpia did was take what he already had and sharpen it, make it more acute, dangerous and more knowledgeable.

He knew Scopria would not have taken Alex in simply because he was the son of Hunter, no such fact might have had them interested in what he could do. But it had been the boy's own ability, the raw intellect he had to keep alive and to use whatever means necessary to complete what he was supposed to do that had accepted him into Malagosto.

As he blocked the attacks sending only a few in reply, he was making a training plan already in his head. He could not use the same method of training as he did other students. No Alex needed fear, he worked better when his life was in danger and the sadist in him when he thought of that smiled pleasantly at the idea of what was sure to come.

Grabbing a hold of the boy's wrist he spun him around, taking him in a choke hold. The boy writhed and kicked until Yassen let him go. But the boys freedom was short as Yassen blocked his next kick in a way that sent him spinning, before stepping in close his arms going under Alex's and his hands intertwined behind the boys head and he let part of his weight drop onto the boy's back. Alex sank like a sack to the floor, his arms locked and his head forced down on his chest, his legs bent in a _W_ beneath him.

* * *

Struggling for a while, he quickly realized it was useless, the man's weight on his back kept him from getting up and the arm lock on his arms kept him from punching or using his elbows.

"You loss." The man's whisper in his ears sent chills down his body.

Alex felt the calm and clarity he had had earlier leave him; leaving him tiered, in pain, and desperate to come up with a way to get out.

"Do not bother little Alex, this is one hold you won't escape from. My advice, never let the fight consume you too much; always remember to control the fight, not it control you. Now I will let you go…" Yassen stopped his talk, his eyes fastened to the boys left upper arm. "Why are you bleeding?"

Alex all but felt his breath catch in his throat, what to say? He was not certain how the Russian would react to Cobra and his disagreement prior on that day.

"Um… I fell against the counter it's just a scra…tch." His breath hitched as he felt Yassen's hand circle his arm pulling back his shirtsleeve. "Yassen what are you doing?"

"Who cut you?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Alex"

"…"

Pulling his other arm away from Yassen's slackened grip he put it over the bleeding wound; turning his head away from the man's cold stare.

"It was an accident."

The man said nothing; he stood up leaving the small ring without looking back. As he gathered up his jacket he checked on the guns and made sure everything was back in its original place.

"We are done here, let's go."

Standing up shakily, Alex gathered up his jacket holding his injured arm close to his chest as he followed after the man.

He was drained and the thought of his bed even if it was just a hotel bed was a very inviting thought at the moment. _Well at least now I probably won't have any nightmares. I am to freaking tiered. _

He grasped a hold of the doorway as he was about to step out, but stopped. His left fingers felt the outline of something and he backed up slightly his eyes immediately zooming in on the small silver ornament. For a while, he stood there staring at it, then it slowly clicked into place, it was a scorpion.

Scorpia.

His eyes shot to where Yassen was standing and he stepped out the door his back to the warehouse as he moved away from the man.

"You lied to me."

The man stared at the boy, whose dark eyes where wide with fright. His expression did not change; that was no surprise, it barely ever did. Not much any longer existed that could put so much emotion in him or make him upset enough to lose his mask.

"Alex your tiered, get in the car and let's go back to the hotel."

"No." Alex was determined to get out what he wanted. He was not quite sure what he was feeling; hurt, sad, anger… the feelings were mixed. "You said you would take me some where safe, away from MI6; away from Scorpia." The last part he let as much sarcasm and hurt enter his voice as it could. But it didn't have the effect he had hoped for, instead he sounded young and uncertain; squeaky and afraid. "You said kids didn't belong in this world, was that also a lie?"

Yassen's eyes flickered of towards the dock before they went back to Alex's.

"No I meant it."

"Then why?" But the man never answered. "What's so different now?"

"When I first meet you, you where a kid; Blackmailed, naïve, and oblivious to what the real world was. But you never stopped, you continued. Tell me little Alex, when you look in the mirror, who do you see? When you walk to school what do you think of, or when you are with your friends? Do they know who you are? Back then I thought there was hope for you, but that was over a year ago Alex and you are no kid. The world has its scars on you, like on me, like everyone here."

"That's not true! I have Jack, Tom, they are there for me." Yassen only shook his head.

"It took me a long time to come to the decision to pick you up; I thought maybe that housekeeper of yours could help you. Remind you that you are a kid and for a moment, I let myself forget that your own uncle trained you since birth. Even if you tried you would never forget, there is always the muscle memory and you cannot get rid of that. However, when I saw her, I immediately realized living with her did nothing but hurt you and her. Lately when you come home from your missions have you ever told her the truth, do you wonder if next time she'll leave you hate you for what you are? Have you told her about the people you've killed? No, you have not. As far as I see it taking you away from her and your so called friends is more helpful then letting you suffer trying to please them."

"Stop talking like you know me."

"But I do know you little Alex." The man's eyes flashed but other than that there were no signs of anger. "I've watched you as you grew, from a distance. I saw how your uncle treated you and you might think that was normal, but that was nothing but close to child abuse. You were no better off when he was alive as you are now that he is dead; the only difference is you've switched between the hands who own you."

"MI6 do not own me! They destroyed my life!" Alex was fuming that the man dared talk to him like that. _He knew nothing! _

"Did they." The man's cold uncaring voice deflated Alex quickly. "Or was your life already destroyed." The Russian seemed to find pleasure in the pain he saw in the young boy's eyes. "Have you ever been your own person, Alex? When you consider doing something, do you stop because it's in your mind to stop or because you know that it will displease the people who own you? MI6 your so called guardians use you for their own benefit, they do not care whether you live or die. But they consider you more valuable alive and well, and whether your mentally unstable that doesn't matter as long as your useable. Have they ever let you have a rest period, like all other agents? Do you get paid or a Psychologist?"

Alex felt like crying, the more Yassen talked, the more salt he added to wounds Alex thought he had healed up and hidden long ago. He shook his head, both to answer the Russians questions as well as to clear his head.

"All they ever have done for you is using you for their own benefit."

"Isn't that what you are doing?"

"Yes." The cold shilling truth that came from that reply hurt more than the truths he had been hearing before.

"You're no different from them, you don't care…"

"That's where you are wrong Alex, whether you believe it or not I do care. I want you alive, but you won't be alive if you try going back to your normal life. Either MI6 will kill you, considering how dangerous you are to them if you are not in their hands or Scorpia or any other organization will kill you. Because you've messed up their plans or killed important people or even for less than that and simply because of the reputation you have gained yourself in the year or because of the name Rider which you carry."

"What could be so special about me I'm just a kid?" The Russians lips twitched upwards at that, as if he was smiling at a small joke, then his face went blank and he raised an eyebrow.

"You are skilled, trained since birth; killing, spying, it's in your blood. You can find lots of kids that have one of those but not many that have both, not only can you kill but you have the mind to see passed the obvious. That is why you are wanted."

"I don't want to." Yassen's stance seemed to soften some as he watched Alex's hunched shoulders. The boy looked exhausted.

"You are tiered Alex, let's go to the hotel. We will talk about this some other time." He stepped forward until he stood in front of the boy reaching his hands to pull him with to the car, but Alex flinched back his face a lit with new determination.

"I won't kill for you." Yassen froze, his eyes drilled into the dark amber ones before he felt his lips pull up in an awkward smile.

"We'll see; we'll see." With that he reached out and tugged the slender wrist with him towards the car.

The ride was quiet but neither seemed to mind, Alex was back staring out the window trying not to fall asleep, while Yassen drove.

"You know, I think that's the most I've ever heard you talk." He wasn't expecting a reply and neither did he get one and just as he was lulling of, he felt a heavy hand land on top of his head shaking it a little, he didn't really smile, but he relaxed into it wondering what would happen next.

**Tsubasa-**


	6. Dark Feelings

_"I won't kill for you." Yassen froze, his eyes drilled into the dark amber ones before he felt his lips pull up in an awkward smile._

_"We'll see; we'll see." With that he reached out and tugged the slender wrist with him towards the car._

_The ride was quiet but neither seemed to mind, Alex was back staring out the window trying not to fall asleep, while Yassen drove._

_"You know, I think that's the most I've ever heard you talk." He wasn't expecting a reply and neither did he get one and just as he was lulling of, he felt a heavy hand land on top of his head shaking it a little, he didn't really smile, but he relaxed into it wondering what would happen next._

* * *

**Dark Feelings: **

Cobra turned on the coffee pot his eyes throwing quick glances towards the open door of Alex's room. When he had woken up just some minutes ago, he had found the hotel room empty with the lights still shining bright. He knew Cossack had come in considering he had caught sight of him before going to bed – the fact that Cossack was no longer here, and neither was the brat, it could only mean that they had left together. He knew Alex would not make a run for it, as much as that would not surprise anyone if he did. However, of what Cobra had already seen of the boy, he certainly did not seem like a person who ran from danger or trouble. No if he had left, it was because Cossack had told him to do so.

He smirked at his thoughts; he knew it took guts to face danger and the fact that the kid did not so much as seem mortified by the idea of staying in the same hotel room with two killers only showed there was more to him than meet the eye. He leaned back against the counter staring longingly at the coffee maker; before shifting his eyes over to the open door,_ the kid really was fascinating._ Now if only he could figure out why Cossack, his trainer, the cold assassin that took lives without mercy, seemed to have a soft spot for the boys protection.

The coffee was done and with a grateful sigh, he poured himself a steaming cup of rich coffee, which he destroyed quickly with sugar and milk before moving towards the kitchen table.

He had barely sat down as the hotel room door opened and two figures entered. The sight in front of him caused him to arch an eyebrow in surprise. Cossack as always was his normal nonchalant person, while Alex stumbled slightly on the threshold, his eyes dropping heavily with sleep.

Whistling lightly he asked what had happened. However, neither answered, only a tiered nod from Alex who seemed more or less oblivious to the world and a cold stare from Cossack.

"You look like hell brat." Cobra said, laughing quietly into his coffee as he sipped on it enjoyably. Both from the taste of it as well as of the sight of the young boy who was now leaning slightly sideways; clearly close to toppling over.

Cossack turned his attention back to Alex, looking at him with a rather unsympathetic look on his face that clearly stated he did not feel like bothering with this – Alex – at the moment.

"Why don't you go to bed Alex? I have to talk to Cobra." He turned to Cobra, his blue eyes fastening on him coolly, causing, Cobra to freeze. Though, the only sign of his discomfort that could be seen was the tightening of his hand on the coffee cup.

Alex continued nodding, mumbling something under his breath. Looking up his eyes found the pair of green orbs he was looking for, an apologetic look crossing over his features before he ducked his head.

"It was an accident."

Cobra stared confused feeling his heart rate quickly increased in something akin to fear, _what was an accident?_ Then his eyes found it, the boys' hand cradling the injured arm that he had cut.

Shivering in anticipation, he followed the boys movement until the door to Alex's room was closed before turning to Cossack, forcing a smile on his features and relaxing back into the chair with his cup of coffee. Trying to act calm even as he felt his skin moist with sweat.

"The kid must be exhausted, what happened anyways? Was there an accident? O-would you like some coffee… where were you guys?" He shrugged his shoulders as if he was at a loss for words; but in truth, his mind was relying and he could fell an excuse at the tip of his tongue.

"Training that is until Alex's arm began to bleed." The man was walking closer, taking his jacket of and throwing it over a chair, "Which apparently" he circled the table, "when I finally got him to talk" he was now standing next to the chair Cobra was sitting in, "you where the reason for it." Gulping audibly, Cobra stared down into his coffee cup. Before putting it down, slowly he considered his words, knowing that they could mean the difference between walking out of here in one piece or in many.

"I'm sure there is a reasonable explanation to such an accident."

"I'm sure there is…"

The calmness of his voice was enough for Cobra to understand Cossack had already come to a conclusion and that nothing Cobra could say was going to change the man's mind.

Anger filled him and before he had time to control himself he had stood up, forcing Cossack to step back not to be head butted by the other mans fierce move.

"I don't get it!" he declared throwing his hands up in the air. "What's so special about the brat? Why do you care, no let me rephrase that, since when do you care? It is not like you and from what I saw of him just now, you certainly do not seem to have a problem hitting him yourself. While for me it was not my intention for him to get cut." To emphasize his point, he did the most stupid thing he could have thought of; he decided to poke Cossack in the chest. What he had not been planning for was for that finger to be grabbed almost before it even made contact, twisted upwards, forcing his arm to follow up not to brake the fragile bone of his finger.

Gasping in pain Cobra stumbled forward, his hand which Cossack held was quickly twisted more, this time bringing the whole arm with it behind his back forcing him down upon the table. Causing his coffee to spill out and for a moment it seemed like everything stopped as Cobra stared horrified at the good liquid going to waste upon the wooden table and tiled floor.

Grunting he acknowledged his lose. Letting himself ride through the pain by taking deep breaths and trying to relax his tense body.

"I need the boy trained, not injured because of your recklessness with a knife. And as for me hurting him while we are training; the pain he receives from it is caused by his own inexperience in fighting, nothing else." Cobra grunted in acknowledgment from the awkward position he was in. A hard cool hand trailed its way through his hair; which he had let down from it's usually pony tail, wrenching his head up. Bending his neck back while at the same time pulling his arm higher up on his back, Cobra was forced to bite down on the inside of the lip to keep from moaning in pain.

"Cossack…" But he stopped, the complain there, just at the tip of his tongue; which he refused to breath.

"To loss ones control; is to lose once life." The shilling words were once Cobra had heard many times before. Every Scorpia trainee was told those words. Those words where the words of god, you followed them and you abide to them. "You lost your control; a sign that I can interpret that maybe you are not ready to proceed out from the training grounds. I'll be considering contacting your instructors once we are done here." Cobra felt his breath catch in his throat, his eyes fluttering shut and a look that much like horror crossed his features before as quickly as it came; disappeared. "Alex is not your typical teenager; you should be worried how far you push him. You would not be able to win over Alex if he snapped." Cossack released his hold on his hair, but before he could catch himself his head slammed down with a heavy thud onto the wooden top. Groaning he glared weakly over his shoulder, where Yassen stood over him. "I'd be careful how far you decide to take your games with Alex, not only for his life, but for your own. We are at a loss of people as it is, your death would only cause me trouble. Stay alive long enough that I can give you off to be someone else problem, before you decide to get yourself killed in your own recklessness." Cossacks grip tightened on his wrist, grinding the bones together; Cobra gritted his teeth refusing to whimper. He had already been considered an idiot by Cossack he refused to add weak to that.

Cossack finally released him; stepping back and moving towards the counter, fixing himself a cup of coffee before heading towards the seating room, where he gracefully folded himself down upon the sofa.

Messaging his hand and arm, Cobra glared hatefully down at the mess on the floor before cleaning it up. He knew Cossack would not do it and the kid was most likely fast asleep.

"Why do you need him?" He questioned as he threw the soiled rag into the trash bin before turning to Cossack who had now occupying himself by reading a thick book.

"Because he'll be a great addition to have."

Cobra furrowed his brows in confusion.

"For D.E.L.T.A.?" He asked. "Or for Scorpia?"

The man put down the book before looking at the younger man, his eyes seemed to search him for something; but he gave no implication that he found what he had been looking for, before turning back to his book. Pointedly ignoring Cobra for the book in front of him

* * *

Alex came around to something wet touching his cheek. He groaned and retched up to brush it off, but his movement was stopped by another hand which forced his back to his side.

"Don't touch it; you'll only irritate it more." He hummed in agreement, wondering about the familiar voice as he began drifting off again.

However, he was quickly awoken, when a flash of pain crossed over his ribs. Gasping he tried to flinch away from whatever was causing it, but the same hands as before held him tight.

"Hold still, I think one of your ribs might be cracked."

"Cobra?"

"Yeah." There still was pain by his ribs but it had dulled and become more of an irritation than painful.

"What are you doing?"

"Trying to bandage your new wounds, as well as re fix the older one you decided to reopen." At the mention of the cut on his arm, he remembered Yassen's face upon seeing the injury.

"Yassen knows." He stated, still a little too groggy from his sleep to care more then so.

"Yeah believe me I know." To Alex's surprise, the man's voice did not sound angry; if anything, it sounded tired. Cranking open an eye, Alex stared at the man where he was hunched over applying something to Alex's once again exposed chest.

"Are you okay?" The man's hands stopped and he stared into the brown eyes, frowning at the expression.

"Are you worried?" The boy quickly hardened and he looked away with a huff.

"Of course not."

Laughing Cobra put his arms under the teenager maneuvering him up into a sitting position.

"Your ribs have gotten quite a hit, but I wouldn't worry too much about it. Your other injuries are mostly just bruises. You will be sore but other than that, you'll manage. As for your arm, the cut reopened and I did what I could for it. But nothing but time will heal it now." Alex just shook his head and Cobra glared at him for it offensively. "What!"

"Just wondering if you've decided to change professions and become a doctor instead." He answered smiling gleefully before pulling his shirt back on.

"By the way where is Yassen?" Alex wondered looking around.

"He left hours ago, you've been dead asleep since morning. It's close to two o'clock now." Sitting up straighter at the news, Alex's flinched as his body protested the move.

"Why didn't you wake me?" He stated accusingly.

"And why should I have done that?" Cobra asked raising an eyebrow. "It's hardly like you could have done anything good with your time awake anyways, considering you're not allowed to leave the hotel room." Alex pouted at the reminder, but quickly rearranged his features to its normal emotionless mask. Riders do not pout.

He hated it, he found himself dropping his guard more and more around Cobra. It was something he had never been able to do in front of Jack; when he had wanted to. But now he was dropping it without realizing it, mistakes like that was what got you killed. He refused to allow himself such open moments, especially since he was spending his time with assassins.

A few moments later he found himself in the living-room, a sandwich in one hand and a steaming cup of tea in the other. Glaring offensively at the TV Alex flipped through the channels; there was nothing on. The news said nothing; he had been waiting for days; yet no disappearances from London. Did MI6 care so little that they even refused to put out a search or sign for him on TV. The thought was sickening, those where the people he had worked for. He really should not have been surprised after all the times when he had most needed them they never showed up. And Alex hand learned to live with that.

Jack would be fine, she had family in America; she could finally live a normal life. she wouldn't have to worry whether Alex came back this time; for he would never set foot in the same house as her again.

He startled out of his thoughts by a sudden crashing sound. Turning he looked around the room; Cobra was nowhere to be. Had he fallen? No, something did not feel right. It was like the hairs at the back of his neck where standing up.

His eyes shot wide open before he flung himself to the floor, grinding his teeth as hot water spilled over his hand. He rolled under the table and jumped up to his feet. Four men all of them dressed in black clothing where standing in a circle around him.

Swallowing nervously he looked around at them, considering whether to wait for an attack or to attack himself. The dreadful feeling of desperation filled him and he had never wished for Yassen to be at his side so much as he did at that moment. There was something about the men that told Alex he would loss this fight, the calmness of their faces maybe or the relaxed almost lazy way they stood as if this was simply an inconvenience for them. Letting out a soft growl, he flung himself at the man to his left; his fist going high while his feet went low. But neither attack connected, the man had side stepped and Alex had to jump back not to be hit and to his horror his shoulders banged into the window that looked down over the busy Spanish street. No one would see, the room was to dark and to high up. Would someone hear if he screamed?

Why did not one of his attackers have a gun, was it because they did not want to make any loud noises that would lead to anyone hearing?

As the next man attacked, Alex flung himself to the side rolling over the carpeted floor and flung himself towards the kitchen area, where he opened his mouth loud to scream. However a harsh black gloved hand clamped down upon his throat pulling him up and back against a firm chest. He choked for air and scrambled at the hand and arm, his legs flailing and kicking backwards. The man however only tightened his grip and Alex's vision tunneled in; black hash was forming and he felt a blankness overcome his thoughts. With one last twist and kick his hands dropped to the side and he hung uselessly in the man's grip. His eyes just catching sight of Cobra being dragged out from his bedroom with three men detaining him and the last Alex could think was, that for some reason he had failed Yassen.

**Tsubasa-**


	7. Dark Chains

**Dark Chains:**

When Alex awoke, everything was dark. He was lying on a soft mattress, groaning he tried to sit up, only to realize he could not move. Cool metal shackles where closed over both his wrists and then chained over his head while his legs were tied in a similar fashion at the foot of the bed. He tried to look around more, though other than for the thin faint outline of light coming from, what he would guess would be the door. The rest of the room was pitch black. His throat felts swollen and stiff and when he tried to turn his head sideways, pain forced him to turn his head back and be still.  
The panic that started rising, made it difficult to breathe and he knew he had to calm down before he completely lost it. Closing his eyes, he breathed deeply in and out trying to meditate himself into a world of blank calm. This was hardly the first time he had found himself in this sort of situation, however for some reason this time felt more real, scarier. It was probably for the fact that he had no idea who had captured him, as well as he had a sinking feeling that they were not after him, but more or less enemies of Yassen. That idea in itself was scary, he felt as if he had gone from playing a medium hard game to all of a sudden hitting expert and having no comrades to help him win. Alex knew he had been lucky in his previous missions; the only two assassins that he had met had been Nile and Yassen. Both of who could have killed him in an instant. Alex had been lucky with Niles death and Yassen refused to kill him, it was the only reason why he had managed to survive as long as he had. Taking a deep breath, Alex forced the thoughts out of his head, he needed to be calm.

As his heart rated started settling down again, Alex realized just how sore he was. His arm was burning and his legs were cramping and the cold metal shackles that fit uncomfortably tight over his thin wrists were creating a raw feeling across his skin and the worse where his neck and ribs.  
Groaning Alex wondered why he could not stay one day without being injured? The thought of not being in pain was so foreign he could hardly remember what it felt like not to have pain somewhere when he moved.  
Staring up at the ceiling, he tried to get his eyes more accustomed to the dark, but other than that the faint outline of light from the door brightening a little, everything else around him remained in the darkness. Finally giving up he closed his eyes and tried getting some sleep. There was nothing he could do even if he could escape with his injuries; he would not get further than a few yards outside of the door.

However, sleep refused to come, his body was stiff and alert, ready to jump at the slightest notion of a sound and his head was wheeling with questions. Was Cobra all right? Who had captured him? Why? Will Yassen find him? If he did, would he help or just leave him? The thoughts kept hitting him, making him feel worse and worse for every moment that passed. He was so deep in thought after a while that when the door finally did click open, Alex barely noticed, too deep in his thoughts to worry about it. That is until the lights flickered on and Alex had no time to control his reaction before a pained whimper left his lips as the burning light stung into his over sensitive eyes.  
"Alex John Rider." Came a gruff voice, and Alex tried to open his eyes to see the man, but only got as far as a slit of it open before he was force to shut it again. "You know the name John Rider was one I had never expected to hear again. I guess, ghosts really do come to hunt us all." The man moved further into the room, blocking out the harsh light from his face so Alex could open his eyes enough to get a look at him.

The man was tall, bulky with muscle and what seemed like black eyes with short brown hair. "Who would have guessed that a man such as him had settled down with a wife and a kid. Though I guess, you never knew your father. Died before you were old enough to remember; such a tragic accident." Alex glared, wanting to fight back, say something, but he kept it down. He was after all the one on the ground and the man was the one standing. He knew his chances and he had never been good at talking his way out of things. "I'd like to reassure you, tell you he was a good man. However, I would be lying. He was a man of this world and anyone knows that you are not a good person if you belong here. He has done his torture, his rape and his kills. He worked his way up to the top and I was there just right next to him." The man bent down his eyes intently locked on Alex's. "The only difference between him and me is that I survived." Alex looked away; not enjoying the satisfied look in the other man's face.

"Why are you telling me this?" Alex wondered, even as his voice cracked and he started coughing. The pain from his throat shooting up and giving him a massive headache.

"Indeed why? Tell me young Alex Rider; are you still proud of your father after you found out everything about him?" Alex did not answer, keeping his head firmly turned and his gaze on the wall.

"Well I guess it doesn't matter. It was after all such a long time ago. Fourteen years and still counting. I do so wonder though, if you will live up to your fathers reputation, will you follow your father's footsteps or will you fall in your uncles?" The man turned and left and the room, letting it ones again fall into darkness and this time Alex could not even see the slither of light from under the door.

* * *

"What do you want from us?" Cobra hissed.

"Nothing much, you are simply here for the prime purpose of getting Gregorovich." The Spanish man stated. He was leaning against a wall, playing with a knife while Cobra was chained to a chair in the middle of the room. "You know, you people are very fascinating; killers and murderers. I can never quite figure out what it is that you want."

"Are you not one yourself?" Cobra wondered, trying to ignore the pain going up his fingers. These bastards dare, tie his fingers up with wires. If he pulled to hard, they would cut through his fingers and leave him fingerless. It was something he would not be able to break.

"Me. I am no killer, that is after all why I hire such lovely people as yourself to help me out. I would not dirty my hands for such primal job."

"What makes you believe Gregorovich would come for us? You said it yourself we are assassins, there are no ties that bind us together other than death." The man gave him a bored look and walked over.

"You are correct; there is nothing that binds you to Gregorovich. However, the young boy in the other room I hear is different; there is more than just death that binds those two." The knife slithered around Cobra's throat nicking almost playfully at the skin and causing a few trickles of blood to fall down. "Maybe this conversation would be more entertaining to be having with the boy instead. Shall I leave you for now, or maybe just have you killed? You are after all nothing but a burden to me at the moment. Alas though, I have a terrible fondness of watching people fight for their lives even though there is no escape. So I shall let you live for now. Only because I enjoy the entertainment too much to allow it to escape me."

The man gave one last nick down Cobra's cheek, smiling at the steel glare he received before leaving the room. Throwing the knife into the corner carelessly, knowing Cobra would not be able to escape. It was left as a reminder of how helpless he was for the moment.

* * *

The next time Alex came around, it was to the prodding of a boot into his already injured ribs. Groaning he tried move away. The sharp pain that left his shoulders and ribs made him stop. He swallowed dryly, his throat felt more swollen and he was afraid major damage could have been caused to his vocal cords.

"Are you dead?" Came a voice. It was clearly a Spaniard; the accent was too thick to miss.

Cracking his eyes open, Alex gave a weak glare. This man was thin, with wiry dark hair and eyes, wearing a rather colorful tuxedo. "Not yet." Alex managed to wheeze out.

The man laughed, seemingly happy. "Good, good. Cannot have you die on me, otherwise I would have gone through all that trouble for nothing."

"Who are you?"

"I am Diego de Espania, a simple merchant of exotic goods and entertainment.

"…" Nothing came out as Alex opened his mouth, so he decided to ignore the man and close his eyes.

"Am I already boring you? I cannot have my guest of honor feel unwelcomed now can I. How about I tell you an interesting story, would you enjoy that?" Alex grunted but other than that made no other response.

The man however, did not appear to need one as he continued, his voice enthusiastic. "A long time ago, I was very well known. I had many clients and many commodities. I was rather new to the business you could say, it had been given to me by a man I would consider my father. One day I had just finished some business and I was walking down the streets of Venice and I came upon a very beautiful women. Her name was Katherina, and from the moment I met her she intrigued me. I had approached her with the hopes of gaining a new item to my collection. Alas, how wrong I was. It was the first time I had stepped foot into the world of death. She played me like the fool I was back then and I followed along believing the whole time that I would be the one to come out victorious. I had my men capture her and bring her to my headquarters. I had captured her in hopes of making her my own personal servant. You see why sell her of to someone else when I could have her myself. She was after all such a lovely women. Once my men had contacted me and told me the mission had been successful. I took the first flight to return and do you know what greeted me?" The man stopped his eyes dark and shadowed as he stared at the wall in front of him; unseeingly. He did not wait to see if Alex would answer him or not before continuing. "I could see the smoke from miles away when I arrived, the place was burned down and they had not spared a single one of my men. As I stood there watching my once beautiful mansion going up in smoke, a raven flew down and sat at my feet. A letter was attached to it. At first I thought it a joke but I stepped forward and took the letter. It had one simple sentence that had sat me on my path for revenge. 'It was nice doing business with you' it said. And at the end it was signed by Death. The raven had flown away and I watched it go, flying to a helicopter I had not noticed and there she was, leaning slightly out of the helicopter her hair free and flowing around her. It was also then and there that I saw Yassen Gregorovich for the first time; he was sitting just opposite of her watching everything unfold with cold eyes. It was those two that had destroyed everything I had." The man spat anger shown clearly on his face as it contorted into something hideous. "They had killed the man I considered a father and they had destroyed and taken everything from me. I was left with nothing, kicked down into the dirt and thrown away. The world no longer needed me. After that all I wanted was revenge, I spent years trying to find them. The women I could not find, however, Yassen was easier to find out about then I had thought. The only problem was how to get to him? Then a year or so ago, you walked into the picture. The only person Yassen has ever refused to kill. And I knew, soon I would get the opportunity to get my revenge, to bring the assassin down and make him suffer for what he had cost me."

"Why do you think Yassen would care about what happens to me?"

"Its not that I think he cares, I know he does. It is only too bad for you that you have to die before you get to see exactly what I mean." Alex hated how his heart had some how calmed when those words left the Spaniards mouth. Yassen cared about him, those words seemed to echo in his head and makes him feel slightly warm in his chest. Alex did not know what he was feeling; he had thought he hated the assassin that he wanted nothing to do with him. But yet here he lay, hearing about his own death and was only able to feel happy knowing that Yassen did care about him.

The man looked down at Alex for a while, before walking towards the door. "I see you're tired. I will leave you to your last good night of sleep, tomorrow is a big day."

The slam of the door seemed to vibrate through the room even minutes after it had been closed. Alex was not very tired, all he could think about was Yassen, Yassen would save him. Yassen cared.

* * *

"I believe it is not the first time I have seen you like this." Came a gruff voice.

Cobra snapped his head up surprise widening his eyes.

"You." The venom in his voice could not be hidden. "Are you the reason behind all this?" The man only smiled stalking into the room, the door banging shut behind him. He quirked an eyebrow at the knife on the floor but gave no other comment on it.

"Hardly, it is not in my nature. I only agreed because it seemed interesting. Something I would like to see firsthand how it plays out."

"What do you mean?"

"What did the self centered man not tell you?" The man gave no more on the subject; instead, he continued walking around the chair that Cobra was bound to. "How long has it been?" The man whispered in his ear, causing Cobra to flinch involuntarily. "Five, six years. I'd have thought you would have gotten yourself out of these shackles by now." Cobra knew that what the man was talking about was not the chair he was bound to, but of a past, that Cobra had hoped he had fled long ago.

"What is it that man wants?"

"He wants something that is not obtainable." Cobra twisted his head to look up behind his shoulder.

"And what do you mean? Why does everyone keep speaking in riddles? I feel its how this whole week has been, filled with secrets and not one ready to share." The man laughed, tugging lightly on the restraints, causing Cobra to grunt.

"That is no surprise. Yassen Gregorovich has never been a public man. What does surprise me though, is the boy. Alex Rider." The man sighed walking towards the knife, picking it up and tucking it away.

"What is so special about the boy? Cossack tells me to be careful around him and the man, the Spaniard whatever the bastards name is; he told me that there is a connection between the two of them." Frowning Cobra looked expectantly up at the man.

"There is I guess you could say a... connection between the two. You remember John Rider?" Cobra thought for a while, the name was familiar but nothing came to mind. Even though he felt it should be something he should know. "I guess, it was after all before your time. The man died fourteen years ago. He was Alex Riders father."

"Is this going somewhere?" He asked slightly irritated that he did not seem to be getting to the point.

"Yes, if you shut up and listen I'll get to the point. The point is, John Rider is the man that trained Yassen Gregorovich. Most knew the man as Hunter." At this Cobra's eyes widened, indeed that was a name he had heard often. It was something he had been forced to learn when he decided to enter Delta. "For Yassen at the moment to protect the last of the Rider blood line is most important. It is the last remnant of his late trainer. A man he looked up to more than any other person. The Spaniard, Diego, he is hoping that by having Alex Rider he will create a safe zone for himself. What he does not seem to realize it by doing this he is angering Yassen Gregorovich." Cobra felt the blood leave his face, he had seen Cossack close to snapping once before, it was not something he ever would like to have to face again. "The man believes Assassins are things to be used, just like he does with other people. However, we are different; the influence of politics does not touch us. I do not expect the man to survive long, but then again I could be wrong. If Yassen decides to take out his anger on the man, he might just end up living too long."

"Will you help Alex and me?" Cobra finally managed to ask. The man only smiled.

"No, I would like to see how far this man dares take his games with Yassen. It is always an honor to watch Yassen Gregorovich's skill at work."

"Torrick! You can't just leave us like this!" Torrick raised an eyebrow, smiling pleasantly.

"Can't I now. Well don't worry, I will be back." waving a goodbye over his shoulder, he walked out the door. Leaving a growling Cobra behind, who kept spitting angry insults at the now empty room.

* * *

**Tsubasa-**


	8. Dark Believes

**I hope all you readers are still with me, I know it took forever to write this, but here it is one more chapter. **

**Before you continue reading you might want to know if you haven't read the previous chapters already, that I have rewritten chapter 7 and that I took the part about slavery away. When I tried writing on what I had had it just did not make since and I couldn't come up with a good story to continue it with. I hope you all like how it is now. Please read and enjoy.  
**

**Dark Believes:**

Alex clenched his hands trying to stop himself from fidgeting. He was uncomfortable, sitting here stuck to a hard metal chair. His stomach felt hollow and the feeling of hunger was pressing against his throat and he thought he'd be sick with the feeling of it. They had dragged him out of his comfortable dark cell, giving him no food or water, not that Alex had expected any either. He stank of urine as he had been unable to keep it in, having been stuck in the cell for a good part of over twenty four hours. The man who had taken him from the cell had laughed and mocked him and given him some hard smacks upon his head and back. Not really enough to cause injury, but it had disoriented him and made him uncomfortable. He was being played with and humiliated and it made him feel low.

The room he was in now, was not bare; the walls where covered with different tools, some looked rather harmless others brought chills down Alex's back. The chair he sat in could be manipulated to become a metal bed if need to. Alex hoped they would not do so, sitting up made him feel slightly less vulnerable, he wasn't sure how he would take it if they decided to make him lay spread out and powerless beneath them.

"Don't look so gloomy in front of the camera. You should try smiling for your audience." Looking up Alex meet the brown eyes of the Spaniard, who was smiling happily. Walking into the room with a skip in his steps, looking like a child whose birthday came early. It made Alex sick, because he was the present.

"What camera?" The Spaniard stopped at turned pointing at a dark spot on the ceiling, which Alex guessed would have to be where the camera was.

Diego leaned against the wall, feeling pleased with himself.

"You will put on a good show now, won't you?" There was a glint int he Spaniards eyes and Alex found himself shifting uncomfortably.

"For who?"

"For our dear friend Yassen of course." Alex felt his eyes widening. Yassen? He wanted to ask how, but found himself biting his cheek. There was no reason for him to appear curious over his own demise.

"Some friends of mine are making sure he will see this. It will be streamed directly to his phone or computer. He wont have a chance not to watch. And he will be powerless to do anything against it!"Swallowing Alex looked side ways at the wall.

"You sick bastard."

"No need to make faces Alex, the show has yet to begin." The man straightened and made his way over to Alex, hunching down to take the boys chin in his hand. "It will be a pleasure to watch, as my men break that determination. Soon I will have you begging." With a sharp tap upon Alex cheek, the man left.

* * *

Cobra gave a harsh jerk as a scream tore through the air. Not only could he hear the scream echoing through the walls, but it was amplified by the TV that had been placed in front of him. Cobra felt sickened as he saw the boys head roll to the side as he lost consciousness. Sure he had not liked the boy when they first had met, but this was too much; no one should have to suffer like this boy did.

"When Cossack comes here, he will... He will." Grinding his teeth he glared up at the TV. What would Cossack do?

"He will what?" It was the smooth voice of Torrick, who had come through the door behind him. They had turned Cobra's chair around once the TV was brought in, so he was unable to see the door opening behind him. "Do you think he will shoot them, torture them, make them scream like the boy does? What do you imagine he will do?" Grinding his teeth even harder, he turned his head enough to look at the man.

"I am sure he will kill you." He stated, glaring harshly at the tall man.

Torrick smiled at this, walking forward to tug on the chained mans hands, watching him flinch as the wires cut deeper into his fingers.

"Is that truly what you think he will do or is that simply what you wish he will do."

"You seem confident that you will survive this." His eyes were reverted back to the TV as he saw something move on the screen. One of the men was pouring water over Alex's head, probably trying to bring him back to consciousness. "You are just as sick as them, allowing them to torture a boy. I hope you're death will be painful."

"Your hoping for so much aren't you. Must be really depressing just sitting here watching. But don't worry I am sure things will get more entertaining soon. Yassen has a knack for showing up right on time."

"Sick bastard."

The man only hummed, tugging on the hands again. Smiling as the glare wavered and the eyes closed in pain.

"Ah! Looks like their starting again, why don't you be quiet and just watch."

* * *

Whimpering Alex stared wide eyed up at the muscular man above him, the man was sneering down at him. A pleased look in his eyes.

"Will you start begging now?"

Alex opened his mouth but no words came out, only shallow pants as his body wrecked in shivers.  
He remembered the pain, it had been so intense, it had felt like needles stabbing his brain and body at the same time. A sickening feeling that had left him dry heaving. Watching through a blurry vision as the men above him laughed and taunted him. Alex wasn't certain about what they had said, he had been too gone, drowning in the pain they were giving him to really hear any of the words they said. All he remembered was that they kept asking him if he was ready to beg now.

But Alex wouldn't beg, he'd rather die from the pain then satisfy them. He would scream and he would cry, those where things he could do nothing about.

At first he had tried keeping quiet, the first cut of the knife down his arm, the small nips and scratches. They had meant nothing to him. It had frustrated the man and finally with a shout of furry he had slashed the knife down upon his leg, cutting deep. It had been so intense that at first Alex could do nothing put gasp for air, his eyes wide and then slowly his mind seemed to register just what had happened. It had torn a raw scream from him as his body convulsed and tried to curl up on him self. The restraints on him allowing nothing more than useless jerks. Everything felt like a dream, watching in small flashes as the man smiled down at him cruelly, his hand gripping his leg, before pressing a finger into the cut. Manipulating his body into jerking and flinching. It was then that his mind had started going numb, distancing himself from the pain. But it wasn't enough, he couldn't loss himself enough, couldn't make himself unfeel.

It was Alex's own frustration that had brought tears to his eyes, the sense of helplessness. The pain was too intense for him to wish for help, too intense he couldn't even open his mouth to beg. All his thoughts were on the pain.

Now that he was awake again, the pain was still there, thudding dully in harmony with his heart. He could deal with it for now, to exhausted to really feel and as long as he laid still and did not move, the pain would remain in the back of his mind, thudding out its reminder every time his heart beat.

"How is the pain? Do you feel it?" The man leered at him and Alex would probably have shivered at it had he not felt so numb. "Are you feeling numb yet, that's okay. Soon I'll bring the pain back. Soon you'll feel, feel like you've never felt before." The man lifted his hand up and Alex felt himself flinch as it came towards his face, making him whimper as the pain came back to the forefront of his mind. The hand on his cheek was cool, to his hot skin and Alex hoped he would take it away soon. The hand slid over his cheek and chin, almost a caress, while Alex stared blankly at the opposite wall. Refusing to acknowledge the caress. "Soon I'll make you wish that their was something to beg for." The man whispered directly into his ear and Alex could do nothing but let a stray tear fall from his eyes in desperation.

"I'll make sure you feel every second of the pain I bring you." The thudding was back behind Alex's eyes and he stared with heated eyes as the man moved about the room. Humming as he looked about at the objects, sometimes look back at Alex smiling.

The man was back, sitting down on a stool next to the table/chair that Alex was lying on. "Have you ever ripped your nail of before, Alex?" The man wondered, as he lifted Alex's left hand. Looking at the fingers, spreading them and messaging the palm slightly. "Usually you don't feel the pain immediately, its one of those things that hurts more to grow back than actually loss." The cool metal of a tong touched Alex's hand and he couldn't help himself but flinch, trying to draw his hand away from the man.

_No. _The plea echoed in his mind and Alex found himself horrified when he realized his mind was no longer hidden in its numb cloud of uncaring. The gentle caress had brought him back to his body, back to the pulsing pain. He could barely breath as he felt first a gentle tug on his thumb, then slowly it became stronger and stronger until he felt the soft tissue tear its hold on his nail. His breath came in uneven pants, making him light headed as he could barely breath. The pain in his thumb was there, but so was the rest of his bodies pain. It wasn't painful enough to block out the rest that he was feeling, leaving him with nothing to think of but the slight pain as the air in the room touched the vulnerable red skin beneath.

"Are you still with me Alex?" The man wondered, leaning over the table to look Alex in the eyes. Alex could not concentrate on the face in front of him, sometimes he saw the man, other times his eyes would close or they would stay open staring into nothing. "Do you know why I'm doing this?" The man was sliding his hands across his skin again and Alex fought hard to concentrate on the man and not close his eyes. "I don't doubt that, that man Yassen Gregorovich will save you. From what I have heard about him I'm sure he will come. Tills than you are mine and I will leave my mark on you. But I don't want you to be rescued only to forget about me Alex. No. No I'll make you remember every second with me in this room. Remember the pain, pain only I gave you. I hope you have nightmares of me years to come from now. I hope you flinch every-time someone touches your skin. You'll remember the pain of your nails being pulled out of you, everyday that they keep growing back. Every time you stare yourself in the mirror and see the scars I gave you, I hope you remember the pleasure it gave me to give them to you. I'll make sure you remember me for the rest of your life even if I die today."

* * *

The explosion rattled the whole building, causing the TV in Cobra's cell to flicker for a moment before showing Alex again. Torrick was no longer leaning against the wall, but was standing facing the door with his gun in his hand.

"Looks like Yassen is finally here. I'll leave you to watch Alex now, hopefully they aren't stupid enough to kill the boy." The man threw a shilling smile over his shoulder.

"Wait, take me with you. God damn it don't just leave me here." Cobra yelled, rocking his chair back and forth in desperation.

"Sorry, but you'll just get in the way. You can't even hold a gun with those hands of yours. Why don't you be a good boy and stay out of the way. Maybe next time we meet, you've finally decided which team you are on. Why don't you take the time you have in this cell and think about who you are." Cobra stared down in his lap, closing his eyes and looking up at the screen. And he could have sworn that for a short moment Alex and his eyes met through the screen.

"I know who I am." He stated quietly, not taking his eyes of the TV.

"Do you now." The door was opening and Cobra felt panicked, he needed to connect to the man somehow, make him see sense. Make him realize that what he was fighting for was wrong. He twisted his head around as much as he could, barely catching a glimpse of Torricks back.

"It's you who should rethink who you are." Their eyes met and the smile on Torricks lips looked almost apologetic, before the door closed.

"Good bye little brother." Floated into the room, cutting deep into Cobra's heart.

"I'm not your little brother." He said, talking to the empty air. "Not anymore, I'm not the boy who you could order around. My loyalties lie else were now, not in the fear that you used to bring me. I'm not afraid of you any longer." Glaring at the door behind him he shouted, "you hear that, I'm not afraid of you Torrick! I'm not afraid." His shout only echoed around the room and he doubted anyone had heard him. Not that it mattered, he was just frustrated. Frustrated at his brothers games, frustrated at his own inability to fight back. Sitting here in the cold room staring at a TV screen hoping that someone will do something. Anything to stop them.

Alex had lost consciousness again, but this time the man on the screen did nothing to wake him. Cobra watch, sneering at the man as his bloody hands patted Alex on the cheek and soothed his hair back. His sneer turning into a snarl as the man smiled up at the TV. If Yassen did not kill him, Cobra most definitely would. He only wished he'd have the patience to do it slow and not just shoot him in the head.

There was shouting outside now and a gun fired and Cobra stared back towards the door, hoping that someone would open it. Had Yassen brought back up? or was he alone, did he need help? The questions worried Cobra and he once again wished he could do something. A scream tore threw the air and Cobra tensed only to slump down in relief when he realized it wasn't Alex.

"Cossack where are you damn it?"

The shooting and shouting seemed to continue forever, sometimes further away sometimes closer. The man with Alex was still in the room, he to had a gun pointed at what was probably the door, but Cobra couldn't see that part of the room.

Cobra looked up his heart beating quickly when the door was kicked open. A women and a man stepped into the room and Cobra's heart fell, where they enemies?

"Cobra?" The man asked and he found himself nodding numbly. Watching as the man moved into the room, the women was probably outside keeping watch. "I'm gonna cut you loss, so just sit tight." Grunting Cobra turned back to watch the TV.

"Cossack, where is he?" A chuckle escaped the man behind him.

"Oh, he is here somewhere. Probably enjoying himself with killing these sick bastards. We've found some rather gruesome sights out there. Yassen is sure painting the wall with their blood. I hope you have a strong stomach, for what is out there in the corridors, it sure ain't pretty."

Cobra just nodded, sighing in relief as his arms fell loosely to his sides. His shoulders aching painfully when he tried moving them. His fingers where not a nice sight, he had a feeling most of the cuts went to the bone. The skin was loss and floppy on a few fingers and Cobra found his whole arms trembling when he tried moving one of his fingers.

"It's gonna take a long time for those to heal." The man said. "Come on, can you move?"

"Yeah, I'm okay other than my fingers."

"Than lets go."

They had been right in saying Yassen was painting the walls in blood. The corridor was filled with bodies, bleeding heavy rivers on the floor.

"Is he using a knife?" It was the women this time who turned to answer him.

"Yeah, we think so. Most of the bodies are cut deep, there are a few with bullet wounds but really we try not to look too much."

"Do you know where he is?"

The man shook his head. "No, we lost him in the explosion. He must have used the distraction to get in somewhere else. We are just cleaning up after him, killing the ones that aren't quite dead and taking out whoever gets in our away. He is probably somewhere where they are holding Alex."

"You know where Alex is?" Cobra asked hopefully.

"No, but I do not doubt Yassen's ability to find out." Cobra nodded, staring down at another body they came across, this one with his throat cut.

* * *

There was loud noise all about Alex as he came to, barely able to open one eye to stare at the wall. To exhausted to move or do anything other then close his eye again. His body was trembling and his breath was shallow and raspy. The moment he started coming to tears had formed in his eyes and he found himself crying again. He didn't mean to cry, the pain was too intense and the heat was too much, he felt like he was on fire. His eyes throbbing and everything felt heavy. _Am I dying?_ He wondered as his breath seemed to stop before coming back again. He felt so far away, felt so distanced. But he still felt it all, felt his trembling limps and hot tears. Felt the thudding pain in his head and the way his chest seemed to weight too much to breath air into.

"Your awake, do you hear that Alex. It looks like you friend is here for you." It felt like he was listening to someone talk through a wall, but that voice, he couldn't forget it. He remembered how it had talked to him, while causing him pain. The man had talked about his childhood, growing up in America, in one of the states, but Alex couldn't remember where. Not that it matter, but he remembered how when he talked about his life how the pain had been so much worse. How the cuts had been much deeper, the burns down one arm had been held longer over a fire.

"Soon we wont see each other again. Maybe in hell, you'll probably go down that path also. Wont you Alex. You're probably too broken to be going to heaven, yeah when we meet in hell again maybe we can continue this game. I would like that, wouldn't you Alex. I hope you will remember the pain when we meet again down there." The only words that Alex really thought about was pain and hell, a sort of laugh seemed to echo in his head. He was already in hell, what would he do in heaven now, but stare blankly at the happy people about him. Wondering if they would smile like that if they where in hell.

There was a terrible crash as if a door had been blown apart and Alex could have sworn he felt a gust of wind upon his broken skin.

What Alex couldn't see was that indeed the door had been blown away, Bale the man that had tortured Alex jumped back behind the table. Placing Alex between him and the door. His gun pointed at the opening, hoping to catch a glimpse at the man who was destroying this place. There must be more than one person he thought, one person couldn't cause this much destruction.

"You are the one who did this to Alex?" It was a chilling voice, that seemed to growl as it spoke. Bales couldn't see the man, but figured he was most likely hidden behind one of the walls.

"Are you Yassen Gregorovich? You've caused quiet a commotion here."

"But the ones I want dead are not dead yet. There will be more blood shed until then."

"You know, the boy would still be fine if he had never met you. Its your fault he is like this. He seemed rather innocent, I certainly had fun breaking him." He only saw a flash of a shadow before an intense pain shot up his shoulder, causing him to stumble back into the wall and crumble to the floor. It wasn't the first time he had been shot, but for some reason this time felt different, his whole arm and back felt on fire. The bullet had slammed through his right shoulder probably breaking the collar bone.

The man that stepped through the door was not something that Bale had predicted. The man seemed much younger than he thought he'd be, with blood covering him from head to toe. His eyes were like ice, there was no feeling in them, no hate, not even dislike. They were eyes that said he'd die. Bale trembled in fear, he'd already excepted the fact that he would die, but it wasn't fear of death that had him trembling. But the tremendous intent of death that the man in front of him had.

"What are you?" He wondered, unable to look the man in the eyes. "You can't possibly be human." The man stepped forward and without meaning to Bale flinched back closer to the wall.

"A man as close minded in his own believes as you, would never understand the true meaning of power in this world." The man raised his gun again and a scream tore its way out of Bales throat as his knee shattered by the bullet. "I wish I could take my time killing you, but you've left Alex in a rather precarious state and I'd rather have you dead than him."

Bale gasped staring up at the man and suppressing his shivers. "He'll remember." He started but had to stop as a bullet tore through his stomach. "He'll remember... I made," Gasping he fell sideways on the floor, watching his blood in fascination. "sure he will never forget." The next bullet was through Bales head.

Alex swore he heard bullets, but he felt like he was in a state of awake and asleep at the same time and he couldn't make out where the noise was coming from. The trembling had become worse and it felt like his body was jerking and the pain had risen, feeling more like it was lodged in his throat wanting to tear a scream from him, but he was too gone to do much, but lay there and feel.

_Good bye Alex_, that voice was back accompanied by cool soothing hands, causing Alex to flinch, maybe physically but most certainly mentally and it brought the darkness closer to him and he fled towards it. Hoping that voice wouldn't follow. Hoping the darkness would swallow up that voice and all the pain and everything that made him feel.

* * *

Yassen had never been so afraid in his life as he was watching the frail body on the metal table go still. As he watch Alex stutter one last breath. Forgetting about the dead man in the corner that had pissed him off earlier, Yassen scooped the body up into his arm. Alarmed at how little he weighed, before hurrying out the door, running quickly down the corridors.

* * *

It was deathly silent in the corridors now and Cobra felt all too jumpy. There was no more shooting, no more explosions or shouts. The man and women, Eliean and Derk, had left a while ago, saying they needed to find Diego. Things had calmed down enough that they should not have to go in a group and that they would find him faster if they split up. Derk had asked if Cobra was well enough to hold a gun and Cobra had nodded. His left had could curl enough. Gun triggers now a days were sensitive enough that they would feel it, even if he was weak. His hand shook as he held the gun but at least he could hold it.

"Don't you just look pitiful." Came an amused voice from one of the rooms. Cobra whirled around bringing the gun up, just to end up dropping it as his fingers convulsed. Torrick lifted an eyebrow in mock amusement and watch as Cobra gritted his teeth and picked up the gun.

"Your not dead yet." Cobra said angerly, keeping the gun pointed at the floor, to embarrassed to make himself lift it up again to point at his brother.

"Indeed, you sound disappointed." The man crossed his arms and leaned against the door frame. "Had you hoped someone else would have killed me, so you wouldn't have to try."

"Your a coward, hiding away like this. Not even fighting." Cobra said trying to make that smile slide off the mans face, but Torrick only seemed more amused.

"I am not here to fight, just a simple bystander. Why don't you come in, I'll show you something interesting." The man turned around and disappeared through the door. Cobra stared down the hallway, wondering what he should do. He wished Eliean and Derk had given him something to communicate with them, instead of a gun that he could barely hold. Swallowing his nervousness, he made his way to the door.

The inside was filled with monitoring screens of the location they where in. The main screen showed Yassen, he was running through the corridors with a limp form in his arms. "Alex." Cobra said breathlessly. Walking closer to the screen as he stared at it wide eyed. "Where is this?"

"Hmm. It should be in section five, your in three right now. See that map on the wall, if you take the second right in the corridor and continue going you will probably meet up with him in section four."

"Why are you helping me now?" Cobra wondering, throwing him a distrustful glare.

"Oh, I got to watch Yassen kill through these screens, he truly did do a magnificent job. As a reward I will make sure he can save the boy, I have a feeling not even I will be alive if the boy dies. He will take his revenge on everyone who had anything to do with this operation."

"Your disgusting, you did all of this just to watch that man kill people." Torrick laughed, patting Cobra's back happily, watching as he flinched from the touch.

"You only saw what was left of them little brother, you never saw how quick he was, how each hit was made so accurately. The killing intent around him as he kills. His power of death is truly amazing, a very fascinating man. Not many get to see it with out dying. I'm one of the few now that did."

"What about Diego, where is he?"

"Don't worry about that man, he will be taken care of. The two others that came with Yassen are heading straight towards him, I'll make sure they get to him."

"Why are you helping kill him also?" Cobra couldn't help but stare suspiciously at his older brother.

"That man is a very hard to like, lets just say he and I never saw eye to eye and I will be happy to see him gone." For once, the smile fell from Torricks lip and he stared hard with narrowed eyes at the screens in front of him.

"You know, I've chosen my side that I fight on. My loyalties are with DELTA." A sad smile seemed to appear on Torricks face, but it was quickly hidden behind cool eyes.

"So they are. Make sure not to regret those decisions."

"Next time we meet, I will kill you." Laughing Torrick stared back at the screens.

"Promises, promises, little brother. Make sure you keep them. Now go. That boy is dying." Cobra nodded, heading for the door. He turned back watching his brothers back as he leaned over the screens. Watching something in them. Raising his gun Cobra pointed it at Torricks back, forcing himself to stop trembling as he aimed it. The big screen still showed Yassen carrying Alex through the hallways, he was almost at section four and Cobra needed to be there to meet up with him. His gun wavered and he could do nothing but glare at the back of his brothers head as he lowered the gun and ran from the room, sprinting down the hallways. Wishing he was strong enough to pull the trigger and sever the chains that still tied him to the past.

**-Tsubasa-**

**I'm not gonna go into detail in the story about Cobra's past, just know that he was born into the criminal world and that killing is a family business. Some years back, something big happened and he managed to get out. He fled to Scorpia and through Scorpia came to DELTA. Next chapter you will all find out what DELTA is. I hope Alex will be okay, I really don't know what will happen to him until I start writing. All my stories are written at the moment I never really plan on anything ahead, so a lot of it is surprising for me also, cause I never thought of it until I wrote it. LOL. I'm just weird like that. Anyways I hope you enjoyed and I will try to be faster with the next chapter. It all really just depends on how much time I have to write and if when I feel like writing.  
**


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